Give you my Apologies
by ohkeydokey
Summary: Emma Swan ran four years ago, what was supposed to be a weekend back turns out to be a summer of apologies. AU Storybrooke. I do not own anything! Swanqueen is endgame!
1. Chapter 1 - Who says you can't go home

The shrill ring of the telephone startled the still of the night. Footsteps echoed through the house as hands reached for the cordless phone. Blurry eyes were rubbed with trembling hands. Nothing good ever came from a call during the dark of the night.

Chapter 1

Emma Swan slowly crossed the town line into Storybrooke.

It had been four years. Four years too long, yet too short. And although her eyes were heavy and the only thing she wanted to do right now was crawl into her childhood bed and get a good night's rest, her yellow bug seemed to travel slower and slower as it crept during the dead of the night into the quiet town. She sighed as she turned to eye her sleeping toddler through the rear view mirror. Messy brown hair, the bundle of energy was finally quiet and hopefully out for the night. Her bleary eyes took in granny's diner, the old clock tower, the rusty library doors, Storybrooke had not changed. Still the sleepy little town where princesses found their princes; where Emma had just been the delinquent trying to find her place in the world.

But the blonde was finally returning, coming back if only for the weekend and to pay her regrets. She owed as much to Neal. Although she hadn't seen him in two and a half years he had still been her closest friend. They had grown up together from backyard play dates to teenage years, roaming the streets. Neal had been all for defying a father who chose work over him and she had been all for keeping so busy that she didn't have to dwell on unwanted feelings.

She pulled up in front of a white picket fence, her tired legs slowly finding their way up the path towards the front door. Never had her parents doorbell seemed so looming, not when the sheriff stood behind her as she stood downcast in shame with handcuffs on her wrists, not when she had a broken wrist and blacken eyes from her many street scuffles, not even when it was six in the morning and Neal would ring the doorbell and leave her drunk swaying on the front porch.

She shivered and raised her hand, about to knock, but before her knuckles could hit the rusty red paint, the door swung open, and there stood her mother. Her hair was short now in a pixie style that she had gotten done at Christmas, but besides that nothing had changes and Emma felt seventeen all over again. "Oh Emma," the older woman choked out in a breathy whisper, "oh Emma," and in a way that only mothers can, she wrapped Emma in a hug.

A hug that spoke volumes and erased debts. A hug that instantly reminded Emma of everything she had missed and forgotten. A hug that had Emma considering if she was going to be able to leave after the weekend. Because ever since Emma had texted this morning that she was coming home, her mother had been texting back, happy faces and exclamation marks. Her father had even texted her once or twice, mostly wondering when she was going to finally arrive and even David had left a winky face behind his last message.

Her shirt was getting wet from her mother's muffled sobs, causing Emma's eyes to well as she pulled Mary Margaret in tighter. She was selfish, running and refusing to come back to her childhood home. Leaving as fast as her legs could carry her four years ago, a broken heart yearning for someone she could never have. Grief had sent her packing at the end of the summer, and pride had kept her from returning. Pride and perhaps a little guilt. So her parents had travelled to wherever she was. And every two months for one week they doted on her, loved her, and cherished her and than with eyes full of tears they would leave with whispered pleas for her to come home. But her mother was stubborn and her father was worse, leaving Emma with a stubborn streak that refused, even through the tears and hugs.

She wasn't sure exactly how long they stood there as her mother held her with whispers of reassurance. But finally she heard the faint clearing of a gruff voice and spied the mop of blonde hair so much like her own and her mother regretfully released her.

"Dad," she nodded and he paused only a second, before wrapping the both of them into a giant hug. He rubbed her back as she took a deep breath of his aftershave and breathed a sigh of relief because underneath the insecurity of returning home, she had never felt so complete. Almost complete. She pulled back glancing towards her yellow bug sitting in the street.

"Henry in the car?" David asked, and she nodded with a smile, the first real smile of the night. For if there was a reason for Emma swan to exist in this world it was Henry.

"Sleeping." She said and her father followed her down the well-trodden path to the street.

"He's grown up a fair bit." He said leaning in closer to the window, scanning his eyes over the now two year old toddler, "amazing how much they grow in two months. Although the way he carries on talking on Skype..."

Emma nodded as his voice trailed off. "Yes, he is quite advanced for his age. Not sure whom he gets that from."

David laughed than, stars twinkling in his eyes, "you may not believe it but you were quite a talker when you were younger. And I do believe you had no troubles in school, when you attended." She knows he is kidding around with her, because he gently nudges her shoulders but her guilt is too large right now to smile back so she just glances through the window at mussed brown hair before leaning around David to open the door. Bending down to undo his car seat, Emma gently maneuvers the small boy out of the car, trying her hardest not to wake him.

As she reaches the front door, her mother gestures to her old childhood room. "We set up your old crib." She whispers, barely containing her gleeful joy as she peers at her grandson. Emma smiled thankfully at her before tiptoeing up the stairs and pausing at her door. Everything remained the same, except for the old wood crib placed against the far left wall. Switching off the light she gently places Henry in the crib and brushes a kiss against his forehead before taking a quick glance around.

The light from the hallway was shining in illuminating old pictures of past friends. So many pictures, Neal and her at the troll bridge, Killian leering at her in front of Storybrooke High School. She took a step forward towards her favourite picture from her teenage years. It had been taken at a baseball game. They had just won the final game of the year, and Neal and Killian had decided after a long night of drinking that they should go to the Suspension Bridge that hung at the edge of Storybrooke. Killian's girlfriend Tink, had took a picture just as the sun came up, three lost kids swinging above the world.

Her fingers came out to trace their faces, hesitating over short, chopped, blonde hair and thick, black, rimmed glasses. Her hair had grown out now, glasses replaced with contacts, but in some ways she was still that scared lost girl fighting to find her place in the world. Her finger gently swept over Neal's smile, so like Henry's, and tears came to her eyes, before she heard footsteps coming towards her bedroom door, so she swiped quickly at the tears with the sleeve of her red leather jacket and headed towards the hall.

Closing the door behind her she glanced at her mother who, to her thankful relief, said nothing but gestured her downstairs. Two steaming hot cup of cocoa with cinnamon were waiting in the kitchen, where her dad was sipping at his coffee. Glancing at the clock she was mortified to find it read 2:10am. "You could have just left the door open," she hesitantly said feeling awful that they had most likely been waiting for them to arrive.

"Of course we couldn't," her mother stated calmly, as she pushed the cup of cocoa towards Emma, "it'll help you sleep."

Emma calmly took a sip and immediately felt her body relax at the familiar taste. "I hope its okay that Henry is in you room," David acknowledged as she leaned back in her chair, "we can always move him downstairs, but I figured you wouldn't want him down here alone."

"Yes, I want him upstairs," she agreed thankful that they had remembered how close she enjoyed keeping Henry. The room fell silent than each lost in their own thoughts until her father cleared her voice and she looked up to see them having a private conversation with their eyes. It had always amazed her even as a teenager how easily they understood each other, but at this moment she had never hated it more because only deep conversations came from those looks and Emma did not have the energy tonight.

"The funeral is at three," her mother finally said, and Emma breathed a sigh of relief, she could talk about this tonight, "Gold asked for us to walk in with the family." Or maybe not she thought, as her mother paused twirling her spoon in her cocoa.

"I'm not sure," Emma stammered out, her heart racing at the thought and she wanted to run so far and fast away, "I don't know if that's a good idea." She didnt want to even think about the reprecations of sitting with the family.

Mary Margaret nodded understandably, "I told him you would let him know tomorrow morning. Your father and I support you either way." She paused, studying Emma for a few seconds before reaching her hands across the table to wrap them around Emma's shaking ones. Emma had not noticed her hands were shaking; all she knew was that her feet wanted to head out the front door. She didn't want to walk in with the eyes of Storybrooke on her. She had come, to pay her respects and than leave. Leave the town with as little contact with the people whom had shaped her so beautifully into who she was today. People who loved her, leaving footprints all over her heart.

"Neal wouldn't have cared." She finally said as she folded her feet that were no longer trying to leave because she remembered a mop of brown hair and baby grin sleeping peacefully upstairs. "He would have told me to fuck them all."

"Language." Mary Margaret scolded because it didn't matter to her that Emma was no longer eighteen, but a mother at twenty three. And for a second, she forgot Neal and Emma laughed, her father chuckling with her. Half an hour later with a quick hug and a kiss to her forehead, they left for bed leaving the blonde woman with her cup of lukewarm cocoa.

Emma sighed leaning back on the chair, balancing it on it's back two legs and in the midst of the quiet kitchen she could almost hear the raspy voice scolding her, "Miss. Swan, there is a reason chairs were made with four legs not two." And Neal would have chuckled beside her rolling his eyes at his older half- sister, who was clearly too high strung. And then Neal and Regina would have started to bicker back and forth until finally in a huff he would have strode towards the door dragging a reluctant Emma behind him. But not before a quick glance back at Regina, dark hair framing rosy red lips and deep soul searching brown eyes, who would smirk at her knowingly. A smirk, because she knew that after Neal and her went out and got pissed drunk, Emma Swan would be climbing the trellis and knocking on her window in the dead of the night once again.

Pain tore through Emma's chest as she dumped her cold cocoa in the sink, and with a heavy heart made her way to her childhood room. Pulling off her skinny jeans she crawled underneath the blankets that smelled like home, muffling her cries in her pillow as she wept for Neal.


	2. Chapter 2 - I was Running Away

Breakfast was almost finished when David's cell phone rang. Emma watched as he answered it with a puzzled look after he finished pouring more milk into Henry's cup.

"Hi, its Charming." He states politely into the phone, and both her and her mother hold back a laugh. It was a family joke that had become a long standing tradition, for him to answer his phone this way. It was how he had answered the phone when Mary Margaret had first called him a long time ago before Emma was born. Or course his side of the story was that he had been commenting to a friend on a story and happened to press answer at the same time, but either way the first thing Mary Margaret had heard was Charming. Unfortunately for Emma, she had taken to calling him that during their dating years and still after twenty five years she would often pull out the nickname, especially if they wanted some alone time. Emma had learned at an early age to run, because kisses were sure to follow.

It made sense that David would pull out the nickname this morning because it always made his wife and daughter chuckle, and chuckling was needed on what was to be an awful, awful day.

"Sorry, yes it's David." His father became quite serious now, any smile off his face, his eyes tightening in thought. "Well I'm not sure if we have decided yet." He pauses than, before turning toward Emma. Bright blue eyes scanning over her as if making sure she is still okay, before smiling gently and walking out of the room.

Emma is briefly startled because her parents never leave her out of a conversation and there is only a few people which would cause David to leave the room. One is dead and the other, well Emma thinks that if he knows as little as he did four years ago, he shouldn't know that he needs to leave the room. But he does leave the room and that means it's Regina.

At that moment, the fact that maybe he knows about four years ago and why she left scares her, more than anything.

She has Henry in the bath, soap suds everywhere when David comes in. Leaning up against the side of the door, he watches as Henry sprays water all around. His baby mocha eyes dance with mirth as he spies his grandfather. "Grandpa, I Tigger." He proudly states, hopping in the water like a pogo stick and her father grins.

"You sure are little man," he says reaching out towards his mop of brown hair and tucking it behind his ears. "Tigger needs a haircut."

"Nope," Henry giggles, "I Tigger, I gotta keep my fur." And then he jumps again a tidal wave of water sloshing over her dad who chuckles before wiping himself off with a towel.

"Who was on the phone?" She finally bites when it looks like her dad is reluctant to give out answers.

David sighes, and in a Emma Swan special, deflects the question, "They want to know if we are sitting with the family."

It should make her feel better, that they don't say her name, but just like that she knows that they know more than they have ever said. Because ever since they met up with Emma in Seattle, the Mills-Gold family was a topic that her parents avoided.

"Tell her we won't." Emma says, after a brief pause because she has thought about it. And she knows it's the right answer. Because Henry doesn't need the eyes on him, he doesn't need the questioning looks or to sit next to people who want nothing to do with him or her. They are going to be there, because Emma loved Neal and Henry would have loved Neal as well. So they will go, and she will listen and for once in her life she won't run when her body is screaming for her too. Because she finally has a reason for not running, a boy, a sweet little boy who thinks he's Tigger.

Her father nods in what looks like relief before leaving the room, and suddenly it's hard for Emma to breathe. Wrapping her sweet boy in a fluffy white towel, she carries him to her room. Sitting next to him in a room full of memories, Emma keeps him close holding him tight because he is the only reason she isn't suffocating. His stubby little fingers point out the pictures in the fairytale book, as she reads to him of happy endings and love. Halfway through the second book, her mother sits at the end of her bed, smiling at Emma with joy so great as she watches them.

Henry is looking quite dashing in black dress pants and a black dress shirt. The blonde woman places a blue tie around his neck, as he smiles up at her, "I look pretty."

She grins proudly, he looks so pretty.

Her blonde hair is in curls down her back, as she tugs on her black dress, after applying a little bit of waterproof mascara. Following Henry outside, she takes one last look towards her yellow bug sitting in the driveway before squaring her shoulders. Emma was a Swan and she would not run.

They take her mom's car and after placing Henry in his car seat, her parents drive slowly through the town. She told them this morning she wants to walk up right before it begins, so they don't rush. The car is eerily quiet, even Henry is quiet except when he spots a horse, his current favorite animal exclaims loudly that he wants to ride the horsey.

The graveside is full, it seems that the whole town has shown up. Emma isn't surprised because Neal's father owns most of the businesses and his step-mother is mayor. She sits still in the back of the car, thankful for tinted windows and watches the latecomers.

She spies the French twins, Belle and Lacey. So different in every way, Belle was studious and geeky, while Lacey was plum-crazy and outgoing. Judging from their dresses, they were still the same. Lacey, weaving through the crowd in her little blue number, while Belle stopped on the edge of the crowd cautiously in a long black dress, her gaze on the ground.

Just before she moved to pull the handle she saw him, leaning up against his jeep, a cigarette dangling from his lips and Tink still hanging off his arm. Dressed in all black, Killian stared at her parent's tinted window a crease on his forehead like he was trying to decide if she was hiding behind the darkness or not.

She meets his gaze as she climbs out and surprise registers for a brief second across his face before a wide grin breaks out over his handsome face. With quick strides he pulls Tink along towards her and without hesitation swings her into a giant hug. "Didn't think you were going to come, love." He murmurs and Emma feels a race of anger at the comment. Whether it was because he thought so lowly of her that she was selfish enough to miss Neal's funeral or that he didn't think she truly loved him, she didn't know but either way her blood ran cold.

Pushing him away she fiercely whispered, "of course I came."

He was apologetic instantly, "sorry love, I'm just glad you're here."

She forgives him because he is Killian and he is an idiot just like her, but mostly because she loves him. Tink steps forward to hug her next whispering condolences, before stepping back Emma grabs for Henry because she needs him.

Emma watches as Killian stares at Neal's little boy, the one he didn't want. "This is Killian," she crouches down next to Henry as his small little hands reach for Killan's hook.

"You forgot a hand, Lian," Henry calmly informs Killian, as Emma laughs siliently. Tink's eyes twinkle, "He's gorgeous," she says and Emma smiles back proudly.

"Well I have a hook, cause I'm Captain Hook," Killian informs the boy as he bends down next to him.

And in a way only little boys can he whispers loudly, "Mama I sit with Hook."

Emma laughs than tucking Henry in close to her side, as they walk up the hillside. Killian finds them a place far enough away from family, but close enough to be respectful and included. Her mother stands on her left, and Emma tries her hardest not to look for the one person she wants to find. Her eyes betray her wandering until they find the casket between the gaps, and tears form in her eyes. The blonde feels them fall as she remembers warm sunny days and laughter, and when it gets too much she pries her eyes off the grave only to find cold mocha eyes staring straight at her.

Emma can't move, as peering eyes bore into her soul. It's been four years and nothing has changed, yet everything has changed. Red lips pressed tightly together, nostrils flared; her hair is shorter now, and she's dressed in a black blazer and a dark black blouse that tightens nicely in places Emma should not be looking at. But she can't stop and her gaze follows a tight fitted skirt to dark nylons and high heels. She briefly commands herself to stop, looking at the woman's legs as she brings her eyes back up to find the gaze still boring into her own. This time the eyes are still cold but she sees the pull of Regina's smirk in the corner of her lips. And Emma's chest begins to hurt again as she watches the smirk beings to form on those lips, until it stops and the mouth opens in what appears to be shock as the gaze fashions on something much lower.

Emma quickly looks down to find Henry leaning against her side, and quickly glances back up at Regina who is staring at Henry with eyes that are beginning to flash in anger. The vein on her forehead is starting to bulge, and Emma it confuses her because she is a hundred percent positive that Neal bragged to Regina about the child they had created together. She inwardly curses because Regina must not have been expecting the boy.

She drags her eyes off Regina and looks for Daniel but he isnt next to her and neither is Cora, her mother. In fact, the only other seats are occupied by Neal's father, Gold with a stunning Lacey hanging all over him. And Emma realizes that although Storybrooke hasn't changed, people do.

Emma curses inwardly again because she should have at least asked for an update on the family but she was too scared to hear of Regina and Daniel's happy happy life that she had avoided all conversations. Grimacing she pulls Henry closer towards her, as Regina's angry glare slowly fades.

For the rest of the funeral she keeps her eyes fastened to the ground, until Henry gets restless and she kindly asks her father to take him for a walk.

Ten minutes later, her mother takes her hand and Killian grabs her other hand as Gold picks up a shovel full of dirt and throws it into the grave.

One by one she watches as friends of Neal's pay their respect. She smiles with warmth when Ruby and her grandmother stop next to the grave, but scowls with disgust at August, whose bike she spied in the parking lot. Graham and Belle, along with Kathryn and Frederick also step up, but she still doesn't see Daniel.

Finally as people clear the graveside she feels Mary Margaret gesturing her ahead. With a heavy hear, her and Killian make their way towards the coffin. Tears are now streaming down her face as she scoops up the dirt, her chest heaving. Through tear stained eyes, her eyes find Gold's and he nods at her before she throws in the last scoop of dirt. Before turning Emma seeks out familiar mocha eyes that are watching her with a kindness she doesn't deserve.

Her parents are talking to Ruby's granny when Emma finally makes her way down the hill. Killian and her mother had left her alone at the grave so she could say her final goodbye. She's mentally exhausted.

Some of the mourners have not left quite yet, Killian is talking with August whom had been with Neal the last two years, chasing the world of fun. He nods at her, as he leans against his bike. She wants to scowl at him angrily but his eyes are red and so she just noda calmly back.

Emma glances around for Henry and spots him running after Ruby, who has his blue tie in her hand. She has grown into a striking leggy brunette and although she is only two years younger than Emma, watching her run free Emma didn't remember the last time she laughed like that. She is about to head toward him when a hand on her arm firmly turns her around. The scent of apples fills her senses, and she immediately knows who is grasping her a little too tightly. Bracing herself for anger, she turns meeting the dark eyes of Regina Mills.

"Miss. Swan." She snarls her eyes brazenly traveling over Emma like she has every right in the world. "Are you leaving soon?"

"After the weekend." Emma replies back calmly, taking a step back because just the sight of the woman makes her want to get on her knees. And that would be very bad.

"Indeed you will. Don't dawdle." The older woman hisses, leaning in to remind Emma that she was not welcome in her town anymore. But Emma has never backed down from Regina, so the younger woman feels the familiar rush of ire at her words.

"You don't own this town." She bites out angrily.

Regina raises an eyebrow at her, a smirk forming, "actually I do, I'm the mayor."

Emma is impressed because the woman is twenty-five, although she isn't surprised because Cora has been mapping out Regina's life since before she was born. She lets out a little snort, "of course you are."

"And what does that mean?" Regina asks cuttingly, stepping into the comfort zone Emma had placed between them.

yeara ago Emma would have smirked and curled her tongue along her bottom lip in a way that drive Regina nuts, especially in her other set of lips. And Regina would have leaned in close with promises that she would pay dearly for that comment tonight.

Now Emma likes to believe she has changed but some things remain the same and before she can stop herself she spits out, "like mother, like daughter."

"You have no idea who I am Miss Swan." Regina's eyes flash, "I should destroy you."

Emma is instantly sorry because she is out of line, "I'm sorry." She quickly apologizes becuase if there was one thing in the world Emma was, it was sorry.

The words stop Regina briefly as she stares questioningly at Emma.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Miss Swan," she lashes out and Emma cringes because the last thing she wants to do is go toe to toe with Regina at Neal's funeral.

She's about to plead with Regina to leave it for another day, when she fells a small tug on her hand.

Brown eyes stare up at her questioningly, and Emma smiles softly. He has stains on his black pants and his cheeks are heaving and red. With windblown hair, Henry tugs her down to his level, "I missed Aunt Ruby too much."

She knows her means so much but he forever getting the two mixed up. She chuckles softly reaching out a finger to trace Neal's smile.

She doesn't even know she has tears running down her face, when he takes his fingers and wipes her eyes and asks, "tears happy?"

"Some are happy today, and some are sad." Emma tells him softly, poking him in the belly "happy tears because I love you so much."

He pokes her back because it's their thing, "I wuv you," he smiles proudly and wraps his little arms around her head.

As he pulls back his inquisitive little eyes find the other woman who is still standing next to her. He smiles at her before holding out his hand like a polite little man, "I Henry," he informs her, "I two."

To her surprise a soft smile comes across her face as she drops to her knees next to them. Her hand comes out to shake his little one, "I'm Regina." Her voice crackles, holding onto his hand extra-long but Henry doesn't seem to mind.

"Your mother and I were friends when we were little like you," she continues softly, tucking in a bit of his shirt that fell out while he was running.

The softness reminds her of the Regina who used to whisper soft words to her in Spanish with her eyes wide and hands clenching in the throes of passion.

"I Tigger too." He tells her proudly as he tugs on Emma's hand ,"Up Mama," he demands.

She watches as Regina straightens up, her face calm and serene studying the little boy.

"He's beautiful." She smiles softly, and Emma nods because he is the best parts of her.

The Mayor turns than walking away quickly finding Kathryn who is patiently waiting for her. Emma watches, surprised when Kathryn sends her a smile and a wave, because Kathryn is Regina's best friend. She remembers the blonde girl well, full of kindness and happiness. Nodding back with a smile she watches as they walk over to a blonde man with his back facing Emma.

"Frederick. He was a grade below you." Ruby explains and she nods because she remembers seeing him with Kathryn earlier, "they are engaged to be married this summer."

She turns and quick as a flash Ruby is hugging her tightly. "Word is around town you had it bad for Regina."

She sighs because of course the town's gossip mill was still running full pull. Her parents did know, the whole town did. "Great." She murmurs begrudgingly, "that is the reason I'm getting the hell out of here."

To her surprise Ruby just laughs at her. "Word is around town she had it just as bad."

"What?" Emma asks this time curious.

"Well I mean.." the leggy brunette stammers running her hand through red steaks.

"Ruby" she warns and the younger girl sighs quiet as her mother reaches for Henry to bring him to the car, leaving the two of them alone.

"I notice things. Besides, I did walk in on you guys in the back that one time." And Emma remembers now the stammering brunette whom Regina shoved up against the wall with promises of an awful life if she told anyone.

"Right, I was a bit preoccupied." Emma smirks.

Ruby nods, "Yes you were, which by the way I should just tell you, I fantasized about you that way for a long ..."

And Emma covers the girl's mouth, because Ruby has never had a filter. It's the reason they got along so well during the summers when Ruby used to live at her parents house. Ruby's mom had been Mary Margaret's best friend, so when she died from cancer Granny would often send the younger brunette over to their house for holiday and weekends.

"It's good to see you," she smiles warmly at the girl, who pouts back at her.

"You left." Ruby informs her with a frown. "You left me too."

Emma nods, "I'm sorry."

"I get it. But asshole move." Just like that Emma is forgiven and she grins at the striking brunette.

"Which move?" she questions because for the past seven years she has been making a lot of asshole moves.

"Well, leaving sucked, and everyone thinking you were dead for a year was worse, but getting drunk and sleeping with Neal, fuck Emma that's pretty low."

She could give a million excuses but the truth is, she fucked up big time, so instead she owns her mistakes, "total asshole moves, but I'm working on it."

"Great," says Ruby, "So let's start right now, stay the summer."

Emma sighs, "I have a job, Red."

"Heard that. Delinquent becomes police officer. Sidney ran an article in the newspaper."

Sidney Glass is a creep, so Emma is pissed because just by that statement she is sure the article was degrading and not at all flattering.

Emma wants to ask Ruby about Daniel, but she doesn't know how so she just listens silently as Ruby fills her in on the inner workings of Storybrooke.

Emma finds out that Gold started having an affair with Lacey, and they are together now, although Lacey still does pretty much everyone else in the town as well. And by does, Red clarifies, she fucks. She smiles softly, when the leggy brunette goes on about how she and Belle are best friends even though they are complete opposites. Regina's mom is off on some mission to become Congress or something Ruby's not quite sure about that.

Emma finds out August was with Neal the night they crashed and that he has been hanging out like a lost little boy in Storybrooke ever since. The younger brunette tells Emma that this was the first time in the last four days that August was sober, and Emma does not inform her that her was still higher than a kite.

They reach the car, and Ruby stops, staring at her patiently. Emma knows immediately that she is waiting for Emma to ask but she can't bring herself to mention the boy's name. Staring at each other in silence, until Mary Margaret tells them that Granny has already left and they are meeting her at the diner. Ruby shakes her head in disappointment as Emma climbs into the backseat with a heavy heart, but try as she will the blonde can't get the question out.


	3. Chapter 3 - Hijacked a Rainbow

The diner is quiet, so Granny sits with them after she brings out Emma's burger just the way she likes it. There is a silence looming over the table, no one quite knowing who is going to break it first. Henry eats hungrily, loudly munching on his fries that he dips into way too much ketchup.

When the door bell chimes, Emma hears the clicking of high heeled shoes and knows without looking who just walked in.

Granny leaves with a stern look at Emma, while Ruby stares questioning at Emma who can't help but watch Regina as she waits for her coffee.

She must have felt Emma's eyes because she turns with an upturned eyebrow at Emma, quickly spies Henry with his fries and ketchup and her eyes narrow in disgust.

Although David looks startled, the rest of the table takes it in stride, when Regina slides down in granny's abandoned seat with yogurt and a cup of fruit. She hands the yogurt to Emma with a glare, as Emma shakes her head before feeding it to Henry. Regina cuts up the fruit into small bites, placing them on Henry's plate.

"Children's eating habits are formed at a young age, Miss. Swan." She reprimands Emma placing the rest of the fruit on Emma's plate. Surprisingly, the gesture makes Emma angry because how does she stop loving a woman like this. A woman whom, if Emma had thought she was gorgeous at twenty one she was indescribable at twenty-five. It makes her squirm in her seat because all she wants to do is sneak into to her bedroom once again and have hands all over her body while...

"Miss. Swan," Regina sharply calls her name, as she feels a nudge from Ruby. Looking up the entire table is staring at her. Emma blushes; she is overheating with desire for the woman across the table and hopes no one has any idea how r rated her thoughts just were.

"Sorry, I was thinking." Emma supplies. Regina gives her a look, that soon turns predatory because they both know what she was thinking about. Emma grins a little as the older woman's eyes become half lidded, her tongue coming out to lick her lips. The blonde squirms in her seat watching the finesse of that tongue, until her mother gently says, "I think you should go Emma."

She has no idea what her mother is suggesting but the only place she wants to go is down on Regina in the back of the diner.

A light slap to the side of the face, from the leggy brunette knocks Emma out of her haze of lust as Ruby scowls at Regina. The Mayor smirks proudly, as if her only goal in life is enjoying the effects of turning Emma incredibly on.

"Sorry," Emma sheepishly apologizes to her mother, "to where?"

"To the reading of the will, Regina stopped by because Gold wants you and Henry there."

The blonde shudders because going to the will reading was never on the list of things to do this weekend. Besides Neal had made it very clear he wanted nothing to do with Henry so she wants to tell Regina there is no way in hell. But Gold asked her and she remembers that her sent her money every month. She of course, used as little as possible, placing the rest in an account for Henry. But that little she used had allowed her to finish courses and become a cop, so she's grateful.

Emma sighs, "Okay."

Regina looks startled, like she was expecting Emma to run out of the diner and never come back. Which to be honest if Henry was not currently blocking her escape route she would be long gone. Because Henry is the reason she stopped running and started living with her mistakes, and he has taught her so much about love that maybe ae understands everything a little clearer now.

Her mother squeezes her hands, and Emma watches Regina's back relax as she places more fruit in front of Henry.

To her surprise, Regina stays sitting and starts up a conversation with David and Mary Margaret about changes to the school system next year.

"Sexual tension hello." Ruby whispers into her ear quietly and she rolls her eyes at the younger brunette.

Her mom teaches third grade, while her father is principal at local high school. She barely pays attention to the politics but her interest is piped when she overhears the problems with a young high school gang that call themselves The Lost Boys.

David seems worried for the summer and lack of structure for the boys involved, especially the ring leader whose name was Peter.

She turns to help Henry eat the last scoop of his yogurt, when Regina asks abruptly, "Emma could what?"

"Well, she could help Graham out for the summer."

It seems that Regina'w truce does not extend past today because she scowls in disgust, "I thought Miss Swan was leaving after the weekend."

"Yes, I believe that is her plan, but we are trying to get her to stay for the summer. It would be great for Henry, Boston isn't the best place for a boy in the summer and we, well we miss her."

It's strange because her mother almost seems apologetic to Regina.

Or course the entire table turns to look at Emma.

"I have no plans to stay." The blonde woman firmly states, but in the back of her mind her resolve is weakening because this unspoken truce with Regina is making her want to stay.

"Well why don't you talk to Graham, leave your options open." Her mother suggests and it's so easy to say no, but she hasn't seen Henry this happy since the last time her parents came to Boston so she hesitates.

"It doesn't hurt to ask Emma," her mom lightly encourages her, " sometimes things that scare us are worth staying for." The blonde thinks she should be angry because if her mother shouldn't be pushing but a fleeting glance of what looks like interest passes on Regina's face, so instead Emma considers the idea.

"I would have to request a transfer." Emma informs them, her mother grinning proudly.

"Considering she can get the transfer," Regina interrupts, "why would I let the single person with most likely the longest rap sheet in Storybrooke become deputy?"

"Oh," her mother replies somewhat confused, "Emma, I thought Graham's father never gave you a record."

"he didnt." Emma clarifies, because Graham's dad believed in her, well past his pay grade. So instead he had her working community hours and siting next to him in the patrol car.

"Well, Regina why doesn't Emma see if she can arrange something with Graham. If she decides stay." Mary Margaret insists.

"I will explain matters to Graham myself." Regina commands still looking uncomfortable with the decision, while Ruby snorts beside her.

Regina fixes the younger brunette with her evilest glare causing Ruby to shift slightly in her seat before studying the wood grains in the table.

"We should be going Miss. Swan," Regina smooths her skirt stepping out of the booth. Laying down a fifty dollar bill on the table, the older woman takes out a wipe from her purse.

Emma waits as she gently cleans Henry, and than the blonde removes him. Her mother leans over kissing the little boy soundly while her dad grabs the keys to switch over the car seat to Regina's Mercedes.

After promises to text them on when she will be home, Ruby swats her on the ass as she follows the woman out of the diner.

Granny spies her just before heading out the door and the older woman wraps her in a warm hug and kisses her pausing for a kiss from granny. "You leave this time and i'll be hunting you down myself to drag that sorry ass back." she warns, Emma shivers because the older woman would do just that.

Walking behind the Mayor, Emma steadies herself for a drive in a small enclosed car with a woman who has every reason to despise her.

The mayor doesn't start any conversations the entire way to Gold's house, except to inform Emma that her idiot father had forgotten to do up the back harness on Henry's car seat. She sternly reprimands Emma that it is highly illegal to drive without the back strap and she would not be moving until the boy was properly latched in.

So Emma spent the entire ride sneaking, not so subtle, peeks at the woman. In between answering Henry's numerous questions on the horses he spied out the window, her eyes traces over the older woman's face. Taking in the full red lips, Emma shivers remembering just how soft those lips were.

Memories of past years flood back to her, as they enter the house and make their way to the study.

Neal and her at a young age playing pirates with Killian. Apparantly, Killian hasn't outgrown that one.

Homework on the back deck that always turned into joints and beers, because the three of them studying together was never a good idea.

Regina coming out of her room in a black negligee, causing a sixteen year old Emma to lay in the bedroom down the hall from her unable to think of anything else but the way the striking brunettes curves looked under black lace.

The first time she truly felt an icy hate racing through her veins when the boy whose father owned the stables left the older brunette's room with messy hair and a shirt buttoned completely wrong.

Yet none of those memories were as important as that night Emma decided to climb out of the guest room and smoke her joint on the roof. She remembers that night like it was yesterday.

-_flashback-_

Emma climbs out the window, onto the roof, outside the guest room.

She sighs in relief when she sees that Regina's light is off, the last thing she needs tonight is a sermon about the disgusting choices the younger girl makes.

At eighteen, Regina was in her senior year.

Emma knows all the stats on Regina as Cora would often recite them in list form, like she was knocking off all the points her daughter needed to complete to become the next Cora Mills. Straight-laced striking brunette dating the wealthy son of old money, top of the honour roll, class president, and recently a full scholarship to Harvard on grades alone.

Regina and Daniel had been dating for two years now, and they were so disgustingly perfect it made Emma sick to her stomach just thinking about the two of them. But in the last couple of weeks, things had been different and of course Emma had noticed.

Nights that Daniel and her used to spend in the kitchen, doing their homework studiously, while playing a cute little game of footsies were now far and few between. Instead lately, much to Emma's ire, Regina and Daniel seemed to spend more nights upstairs in Regina's room.

It wouldn't have been that bad but Emma was usually still around when Daniel would come trudging down the stairs, a grin like he had won the lottery plastered across his face. Emma supposed he did, because making out with Regina Mills, would make her smile like that as well.

Emma reaches into her back pocket of her skinny jeans and pulls out a joint. Lighting it, she leans back on her hands with a sigh.

The teen was just about at a relaxing high, when the smell of apples whiffed over to where she was sitting. A warm body settling next to her, causing Emma to shiver as Regina's hand reaches out crushing the joint.

"Smoking is disgusting enough, Miss Swan," Regina points out, "you have too much potential to waste it, like those idiots you hang out with."

Emma grins as her eyes turn to catch Regina's snarl, she's high enough that she barely cares to think about what comes out of those lips, instead she thinks about sticking her tongue out and licking that full bottom lip.

"I know you sit out here most nights," Regina continues, "is there a particular reason you must sit on such a dirty roof?"

"I like watching you."

Emma's still high, but now she's kicking herself because she has a bad habit of having no filter when she's drunk or stoned.

"Watching me exactly how?" Regina inquires her eyes flashing.

"Don't get mad," Emma warns, thinking about the times she saw Regina changing.

"How about you tell me first?" Regina snarls back as if she realizes for the first time that her blinds are rarely pulled down.

"I just like to watch you, through the window. Not like when you are getting dressed or undressed, although there was that one time, but now I look away for that, mostly." Emma adds honestly. " I just like the way you curl your feet when you read a book, or how you bite on your pencil."

Regina keeps staring at her.

"Sometimes I pretend it's my lip." Emma whispers while trying desperately to stop that last part from escaping.

If she was expecting surprise she doesn't get it, not even anger in fact Regina seems intrigued.

"You and Neal really are not sleeping together are you?" She states, like it's a question but Emma knows it's not.

"Nope, haven't even kissed." She shudders than; it would be strange he's like her brother and she's...

"So you are gay?" Regina asks her eyebrow rising in interest.

Just like that the high leaves. The teen begins to panic because she doesn't know, so far it's just been Regina, she feels like she can't breathe, and starts taking gulping breaths.

"Whoa," Regina says softly placing a hand on her arm, "calm down. You're okay... besides I am extremely gorgeous."

"Super fucking hot." Emma agrees.

"Either way," Regina continues, "I won't say anything."

She leans into Emma close, and the younger blonde feels the lightest brush against her lips.

Regina's lips end up in front of her ears, while her raspy voice whispers softly, "I like secrets."

Emma shivers in disbelief becuase Regina nips lightly at her earlobe before pulling back, burning her dark mocha eyes into Emma's.

Regina may call Emma an idiot, but Emma knows what this is.

This is Regina's fuck you to Neal. Neal, whom everyone knows has been in love with Emma since they were kids, whose parents have counted on them together, two powerful town leader's children.

Emma is Regina's fuck you to her mother. Who has planned every single moment of Regina's life, except for what was happening on this roof right now.

But at this moment, Emma only wants to feel the older girl's hands all over her body, because she has been thinking of this moment for far too long and Emma has always been good at taking what she should not have.

So the blonde leans forward, "I'll keep yours if you keep mine."

She knows that Regina will always love a brown haired boy named Daniel and as much as she wants to hurt Neal and Cora, she will never hurt Daniel. But she also knows that Emma Swan will always love Regina Mills. Someday the older brunette will marry Daniel and have beautiful children so Emma takes the only chance she will ever get.

"No one can ever know, Miss. Swan." Regina informs her, with a pointed look.

"I won't tell." Emma promises.

Her kiss isn't soft this time, it's fast and needy and hard, and Emma moves quickly, her hands instantly trailing down Regina's body till they reach that perfect ass and she pulls the older teen closer. Her tank top is removed before she can even comprehend that this is happening, lips attached to her nipple.

A moan escapes her mouth because this is so good, and the blonde throws her head back as fingers play with the waist band of her sweatpants. She can barely keep up as skilled fingers disappear, and before she knows it fingers are running through her wetness. She whimpers because her body is arching to find more.

"Fuck, Regina," she moans out as she bucks when Regina circles her clit once.

She expects the older girl to plunge in, but Regina hesitates.

Grabbing her chin with one hand, she asks "are you sure?"

Emma can't think, she can barely talk because fingers are slowly circling her, and the girl of her dreams is staring at her with half lidded eyes.

"Fuck, yes," Emma finally stutters out, but Regina hesitates once again, this time removing the pressure of her finger.

"Still sure?" the brunette asks with eager, dark eyes. Waiting as her wet fingers traces up Emma's stomach and brushes against an erect nipple.

"just fuck me, Regina," Emma breathes out.

Regina's finger slowly trails back down and circles clit once again. She is expecting quick and fast but instead Regina lays her down on the roof. Emma is staring at the full moon as Regina gently slips one finger inside her wetness. Emma had never felt anything feel so right.

"Fuck." Emma moans out in the dead of the night until Regina slips in another finger.

Before long she is playing Emma's body like a fiddler, and Emma is panting and moaning.

It's no longer soft, but Emma loves it, as her body start to tighten and she clamps down with her teeth on the hand that covers her mouth.

"Fuck," Emma moans.

Regina is grinning down at her looking quite pleased with herself and flicks Emma's nipple playfully before gently pulling Emma's sweatpants back up and handing her the tank top.

She leaves after a chaste kiss to Emma's lip, and Emma watches her go, legs numb.

Just before Regina slips back through her window she pauses, "just knock." she smirks at Emma, than adds, "or if it's open, come on in."

- end flashback-


	4. Chapter 4 - Crashes into a Pot of Gold

The study door opens and Emma is surprised to see that the lawyer is Kathryn. The older blonde nods at Gold politely, after smiling lightly at both Emma and Regina.

Before taking her seat, she takes a moment to shake Henry's hand, much like Regina earlier, than clears her voice and begins.

"Neal didn't leave much, but for the few items that he did own he drew up a will last year before he went on his skydiving trip."

Emma shakes her head with a chuckle, because that was so Neal.

I, Neal Gold leave to Emma Swan. Emma, I leave you sole custody of my son in my death, with visitation rights for Regina Mills if she desires. I leave you my yellow bug, any items from my personal stash you would like, my dad's signed Babe Ruth bat that was given to me as a gift and the leftover inheritance from my grandfather that I received on my twenty first birthday."

Kathryn paused than, looking down to the sheet in front of her, "total accumulation of three hundred and twenty three thousand dollars."

Emma chuckles because only Neal and August could have blown through millions in the past years. Regina and Gold do not chuckle both looking quite disgusted and she's guessing they both have their millions invested, sitting pretty for a rainy day.

Kathryn continues, "To Regina Mills, I leave 51% of my hotel I purchased in Tallahassee one night when I was wasted. I also leave 50% of my grandfather's cabin and my porn collection."

Emma laughs out loud, unable to stop herself this time. Regina's nose is upturned in disgust, but it's perfect because it's times like these that she can almost hear Neal laughing.

The lawyer continues, her voice wavering like she is trying to keep from breaking out with laughter as well, "If Regina Mills does not want or know what to do with a porn collection it is to be gifted to Emma Swan, who most definitely knows how to use one."

This time Emma can't stop the tears rolling down her cheeks as laughter flows out, hearty and true, and it feels so good. Gold is scowling at her in disgust like he can't believe something so derogatory would be funny to a woman, but she doesn't care because Regina glares at her with a slight twinkle in her eyes.

Kathryn waits patiently for Emma's laughter to subside before continuing.

"To Henry Mills, I leave 49% of my hotel, along with ownership of 50% of my grandfather's cabin. Both are to be given to him on his twenty-fifth birthday or completion of a degree. Until he meets the requirements, all belongings will be managed by his mother, Emma Swan."

Emma feels tears form in her eyes, because money ruined Neal these last two years and getting a trust-fund worth millions on his twenty-first birthday was nothing but trouble for August and him.

"I also leave Henry all my childhood items." Kathryn pauses than, as Regina mutters words that Emma can't quite make out, under her breath.

The blonde pauses before turning toward the three of them, "Neal has asked if you three may now leave the room before I continue with the reading of the will."

The younger woman picks up Henry, as Regina holds open the door for her. Emma's head is reeling because she realizes that even if she leaves Storybrooke tomorrow, Regina's and her future will forever be entangled.

She isn't sure whether she should be angry at her manipulation by her best friend, or thankful.

Regina, has definitely decided on anger, because she is fuming as Emma places Henry into his car seat.

"That man is still making my life miserable from the grave." The Mayor lashes out, in typical hurt Regina fashion, "oh it's not bad enough you had to have… relations with him, now I have to be reminded of it for the rest if my life."

Emma sighs, because as much as she regrets and is sorry for every mistake she has made in her life, Henry is still her favorite mistake.

"The very gull of that boy, what an inconsiderate little bastard. And Gold..." She trails off than hearing Henry whimpering at her loud voice. By startled look on the woman's face, the older woman has forgotten all about Henry sitting in the back seat.

"I'm so sorry, Henry, I'm not mad at you, dear." She softly sighs, leaning back and softly touching his cheek as if she's terrified he is going to shy away from her.

But children are resilient, so the toddler just grins at her and asks, "u is mad, Gina?"

"Well, I'm sad and that makes me mad." Regina explains.

"Tigger not mad, not forever. He says if you bounce, you be happy." Emma snorts because there was no way Regina Mills would ever bounce to be happy.

"I think," Regina softly informs Henry, "tigger bounces and it makes him happy because he loves bouncing. So for me to be happy I need to do something I love that makes me happy."

"Mama wuves me, I make Mama happy"

"Yes you do." Regina agrees.

"What Gine wuv?" Henry inquires his eyes half dropping in sleep, because it is way past his naptime now.

"I love riding horses." Regina tells him and Emma groans because the toddler was about five minutes from sleeping but now the older woman has opened another can of worms.

Henry eyes pop open in wide excitement, trying to bounce in his seat, "U ride horse?"

"Yes, I used to ride a lot." Regina smiles in the mirror at him as she finally pulls out onto the road. She looks a bit sheepish, but on the other hand looks immensely proud that the boy seems to find horses as exciting as she does.

Emma has never really seen the appeal of horses, at least cows give milk, but horses all you can do is ride them. She often told Regina when she visited her at the stables for a quick tumble, that she would much rather purchase a motorbike. Of course Regina had informed her that the blonde would be in no way buying a deathtrap like that. The brunette could never understand why Emma would sit for hours watching her ride, until one evening when Emma's fingers under white riding clothes, she informed the teen that it was perhaps her favorite look on the girl.

"I've been busy lately, but you should ask your mother to take you to the stables to see the horses," Regina's eyes catches Emma, whose eyes are most likely full of lust, because she is still lost in memories of that fine ass in a riding suit.

" we's go see horses, mama?" Henry excitedly stammers out, so excited and tired that his words are become quite unclear.

"Sure, baby," Emma turns to him, "how about tomorrow morning, after a good night's sleep?"

"I is tired," Henry nods half-heartedly as Regina pulls into her parents driveway, and the Mercedes comes to a halt.

"Okay baby boy, let's get you into bed." Emma starts to remove herself from the passenger seat but feels a hand tighten on her arm. She turns to glance at the older woman, who is shooting fireballs with her eyes at her. _God, what did she do this time?_

"You will go and inform Mary Margaret and David that they will be putting Henry. Than you will come back downstairs to the car and we are going over to my house to go over items from that man's will."

"Tonight?" Emma questions because she is emotionally drained and can't think anything besides how she wants to shove her face in between the other woman's legs and forget the entire world.

"Does another time work perhaps?" Regina snarls, "You do remember Miss. Swan, that you are scheduled to leave tomorrow afternoon."

"I could come by in the morning." Emma suggests but Regina quickly shakes her head her eyes softening a little.

"You promised Henry you would take him to the stables, and I won't take any time away from him." She sighs because fighting about this with Regina would be like punching a brick wall.

"Go on than, I'll see you back in my car in ten minutes." The Mayor informs her before settling back in her seat.

It's an order and because Emma still owes Regina, she nods and they head up the pathway to her parent's house.

Thankfully David doesn't question her as she hands him Henry before heading upstairs to quickly change. They are all too happy to spend the evening with Henry, considering Emma still hasn't made any plans to stay longer than the weekend.

Ruby on the other hand, ignores the looks Mary Margaret shoots her, following Emma up the stairs. The blonde woman can feel Red's eyes on her as she peels off her dress.

"Damn, Emma." The striking brunette whistles, "if I thought you had a body at seventeen, this one, I would settle for exploring the rest of my life, if I thought I had even the smallest chance."

Emma shakes her head at the younger brunette who is leaning against the doorway, her eyes roaming the blonde's body. Loneliness and anger, these past two years have caused Emma to spend more that her share of time working out.

Watching Regina today has caused her body to hurt with all the sexual tension, so when Ruby shuts the door and sexually glides towards Emma with a smirk she doesn't move back. Because even though her body is thrumming with need for the Mayor, she has definitely noticed over the past years that Red has grown up.

Her body sways with sexuality, and before Emma can process Ruby has her half naked body pinned her up against the closet doors. Her lips are hot, as she trails kisses up Emma's jaw before swooping in and capturing her lips with heady desire. Emma groans because it has been way to long since someone she trusts has kissed her. Her tongue explores the younger brunette, who tastes like mocha and caramel before she pulls back with a smirk.

"Ask me." are the last words Emma expects to hear in her ear before Ruby moves back in grabbing her ass and tugging on her earlobe.

"Ask you what?" Emma moans, even though there has only been one question that she has wanted to ask Red since this morning.

The younger brunette bites on her earlobe, that sends a shot of desire down Emma's spine before grinding her leg in between Emma's.

"Just ask me, Emma." She demands again as Emma's fingers in retaliation slide up Ruby's shirt and with a skill from years of being with Regina, she brushes across a hardened nipple.

"Tell me." Emma tugs on the nipple lightly as Red moans, and shakes her head in the negative.

"Tell me," she demands again this time though Red releases Emma and takes a step back. The brunette is panting and shakes her head as if trying to pull herself out of a sexual haze.

"God, the one chance I get to maul you." Ruby pouts, and hands Emma a purple see through blouse and her white vest. "Wear this, I almost wet myself when I came to Boston this past Christmas with Granny."

Emma laughs as she buttons up the blouse, "I'm guessing you and Lacey are still competing with who can sleep with the most people in Storybrooke."

"Yes, I'm losing. You better not sleep with her," Ruby warns, "she is up by seven, God that girl gets around."

"Does your Granny have any idea?" Emma asked pulling on a pair of black skinny jeans.

"Nope, at least she better not."

Emma pauses for a second remembering Regina's fierce glare at Ruby in the diner. "Wait a minute, did you sleep with Regina?"

At that Ruby throws her head back and laughs, "She's a bit of a prude. And I wouldn't go there, ever Emma. I love you. You know. I mean not like I would want to ever date you because well you are too much like me, I would call you my sister but I am strangely still quite attracted to you and would love to ..."

"Got it ." Emma stammered, needing Ruby to stop. The girl had more sex appeal than anyone she knew even Lacey, because Ruby's was more of an innocence and if her heart wasn't sitting in a car outside waiting for her than she most likely would not have stopped younger brunette.

It wasn't until after Ruby had fixed Emma's mused hair, and the blonde was by the front door tugging on her boots that she finally spit out his name.

"Daniel?" She questioned gulping back the shame his name brought up.

Thankfully, it was enough for Ruby. "He left, about eight months after you left. They were never the same after you left."

Ruby's words are carefully chosen, like she is trying hard not to say too much.

"By the way, you should know, Regina is definitely not a prude." Emma states proudly because the things they used to do still stars in her wet dreams at night.

"I do know that," Ruby confirms, "She is like sex on legs."

Emma laughs as the younger brunette licks her lips, "fuck yes," she agrees.

"I really haven't though," the younger woman clarifies once again.

"I know, I just, that look in the diner that she gave you. I thought maybe, well wouldn't have blamed you if you had." Emma admits.

"You saw that?" Red questions.

"I did, but I'm sorry, I love you too and you are most likely the best friend I've had these past few years." Emma apologizes once again.

"Thanks," the girl says proudly before cringing a bit. "So now with this true friendship thing between us I should tell you."

Emma wants to tell her to stop because Ruby looks sorry for whatever she is about to say next, but she isn't quick enough. "Graham is currently finding out that Regina is not so much a prude."

Emma is thankful that Henry comes for his kiss just as Ruby finishes because for the first time in four years Emma feels the burn of hate as icy jealousy races through her veins.


	5. 5 - Looking back on the Seeds I've Sown

This time, Emma is the one with her eyes fastened angrily on the road. She can see Regina glancing at her through the corner of her eye, which she ignores because she's jealous and hurt and angry and she has no right to be.

Her fists clench tighter knowing that someone else is touching Regina that someone else watches her as she comes undone, that someone else lays in bed with her as she drums with her fingers on their back. But mostly she is jealous that someone else is loving her, and that she may love that someone else back.

It's easier to think of him like that, someone else, easier but not easy. Her fists slowly unclench as takes deep breathes thinking of Henry, willing her body to relax.

But images of a naked Regina underneath Graham keep popping up and she wants to puke.

"You're angry." Regina states as she turns onto Miffin Street.

"Yup," Emma admits, "its okay, I just need to, well I'll get over it."

"Where you parents not happy you were coming to discuss the will? Regina asks politely, like she really believes that is what they are doing and perhaps that is what they were going to do. But ever since Red's statements, Emma's stubborn pride has come roaring back, and all she can think about is making Regina forget about that someone else.

She wants Regina to remember how Emma knew all her sensitive spots and all her kinks. She groans a little biting her bottom lip, "No, I just got some bad news," she finally replies honestly, because it is really fucking shitty news, then adds, "it's not your fault." Because it isn't, it's Emma's.

Regina's eyebrow rises, as she pulls into a white beautiful house at the end of Miffin Street. Emma recognizes the house as Henry Mill's house. He was a kind old man, who got thrown to the side by Cora in hopes of bettering her life with Gold.

She unlocks the door, as Emma starts to scan the inside of the house but before she sees much she is pushed against the foyer's wall and lips are crashing on hers.

It feels so good because for the first time since leaving her parents' house, Emma doesn't remember Graham but only feels warm lips shooting firecrackers across her body. Hands are in her hair and a tongue is gently prying her mouth open. Emma relents easily as the older woman shoves her even harder against the wall, and as Emma's back bits again the wall vibrates.

Her hands find Regina's ass and it seems years hasn't changes what Regina likes, because as Emma's hands cup her ass firmly Regina moans and Emma squeezes a bit too hard.

"I am angry as well," Regina rasps harshly against Emma's lips, "except my anger is all your fault."

With that she angrily bites the top of Emma's boob and if there hadn't been material there, Emma is sure the older brunette would have drawn blood.

The pain makes Emma feel a bit better causing the wetness between Emma's legs to grow. and Regina looks wild, as she pulls Emma's face towards her and stares into her eyes. The blonde isn't sure what she is looking for but after a brief moment, she once again captures Emma's lips. Her tongue explores Emma's mouth gently, softly in a way Emma wasn't expecting. Emma returns the gesture her tongue finding places she hasn't in years and its calm and beautiful until she feels Regina stiffen under her touch, and this time her teeth bite down hard in punishment on Emma's bottom lip.

The younger woman can taste the metallic blood in her mouth, as the Mayor's tongue reaches out in a brief attempt to soothe the pain before her lips move down to Emma's neck.

Emma desperately wants to touch as much as she can before Regina stops ,so she throws off Regina's blazer and tosses it to the ground before untucking her shirt.

"That was a $1500 blazer you just tossed on the ground you delinquent," Regina snarls out, and she looks as if she is about to stop the entire thing until Emma's thumb brushes underneath her lacy bra against an erect nipple. Lust wars against anger in her dark eyes as the older woman leans back once again studying the blonde.

Emma brushes again gently on the nipple as she leans against the wall, Regina heaving in front of her. The woman is playing with her, she did it all the time when they were younger. Turning her on, and waiting to see if the blonde would give up or come chasing after.

This time her eyelids feel heavy with arousal, as the blonde bites her aching bottom lip, the moment too much because before she knows it her other hand is dropping into her pants because she needs relief. After not touching this woman for four years, she is about ten circles away from her strongest orgasm in years.

So her hand finds her own clit and circles once, and she stares the woman down as she circles once, twice and then a third time. The Mayor watches her with greedy eyes until she spies her quickening breath, and arching back, and then Regina is back with a vengeance, even angrier as she slaps Emma's hand away.

"You think that after four years you get to come on your own?" She questions but Emma is to far gone to answer as her head flops back with need.

She wants to tell Regina that by now she should be used to Emma taking what she can't have. Because she took Neal, and she took Regina and she would have took that orgasm.

It isn't soft or slow because she has been dripping since this morning. Regina had two fingers buried inside of her before she can process her black skinny jeans being removed, "fuck me," she hisses and she wants Regina to come with her.

Fighting against the pending orgasm and pulls on the nipple she is thumbing. Trailing her right hand up a dripping thigh where she rips the older woman's nylons and pushes a soaking thong out of the way.

"What I'd give to taste you," she pants.

Regina eyes go wider with lust; amazingly she loves Emma's dirty mouth.

Spinning Regina around, she enters slowly, very slowly because she knows Regina loves it. The striking woman's head bangs against the wall as she thrusts out to try to get Emma to enter faster. Emma doesn't let Regina move until she slowly removes both her fingers and re-enters with three.

"Come with me," the older woman demands as she thrusts harder.

In a tangled web of desire, their hands find a rhythm of their own, that hasn't been used for years but never forgotten, and Emma feels like she is finally home as her body arches with release.

She wakes up to a naked body next to her and birds chirping. There is a soreness between her legs, that reminds her of multiple orgasms. The alarm clock reads 530AM as she climbs out of bed and heads downstairs for a glass of water. But not before stopping and eyeing the perfection of Regina Mills lying naked in her king bed, red scratches down her back. Two and a half hours of sleep would have to make do, because ever since Henry she hasn't slept past six.

Downstairs she spies her phone, and quickly shoots off a quick text to her mom that she was delayed at Regina's but will meet them at the stables at nine.

There is a strong part of her that wants to run, especially now that she's sexually sated and knows that this morning will be hard. Because Regina had whispered to her as she teetered on the edge that she needs answers if Emma is staying in town.

Regina is still sleeping when she gets back upstairs, and she doesn't feel right crawling back in bed, so the blonde heads back downstairs.

Picking up the clothes left lying in the foyer, she hangs the blazer in the front closet and removes Regina's robe in favour of her skinny jeans and blouse.

She puts together some scrambled eggs and as many veggies as she can find, knowing how anal Regina is about healthy omelettes. Placing them in seperate bowls she adds cheese to hers and spinach to Regina's. Just before she throws them in the fry pan to cook, she grabs her phone and makes a phone call to the Boston PD.

"Robin." She grins as a heavy English accent drawls out a hello.

She couldn't have asked for a better Captain, English and charming, Robin has become one of her best friend. His wife Marion had often babysat Henry after she had Roland a year ago and after much convincing from both of them she now lived in the basement suite under their house.

"Emma darling, how is Storybrooke?" He asks with a chuckle, "Marion is itching for Henry and you to come home."

"About that." She starts and he chuckles because his wife told him her story that Emma has spilled to her one night after many glasses of wine.

"I put in a request for a transfer Friday." He calmly tells her, "just in case you needed more time. As a single mother I figured even you were there for a month you may need the income."

She sighs because it would have been easier to be back to Boston tonight.

Because she remembers the last time this happen, when she ended up fleeing Storybrooke with a maimed heart. But she also remembers unspeakable passion and soft kisses, her parent's joy and Granny's warning.

"Emma are you still there?" He questions.

"Yes, how long will it take?" She asks because even her old partner's transfer had taken almost two weeks.

"Well, I may have back logged it a week and a half, than rush ordered it. It will be faxed on Monday and as long as the sheriff there understands the situation, and faxes it back efficiently you should have it by Thursday. Friday at the latest."

Justo like that she remembers Graham, fuck she inwardly curses what the hell was she doing. This was worse than Daniel, because she likes and respects Graham And as Sheriff she would be quite possibly will be working for him.

"Emma?"

"Sorry I was thinking." she informs him, "does Will know?"

"We both sort of knew this was coming. I told him I put in for the transfer and he signed off on it. Of course, he is not going to be too happy about having to get another partner."

"the ladies will be jumping for my spot." And they will because Will is the biggest heartbreaker in Boston. Emma calls him the Knave because he is constantly breaking girls hearts right, left, and centre.

"Give him a call, Emma, especially since you guys are friends." Robin suggests.

"I'll get it done." She tells him and he talks about Roland who is walking everywhere now as she pours the omelettes into the pan.

He hangs up just before the eggs are done and she has just finished telling Robin that she misses him as well when she hears a glass crack against the floor.

She doesn't hesitate as she quickly flips the omelettes out before crouching down next to Regina is hovering over her broken glass.

"That was my boss Robin. His wife and I became best friends right away after he offered me their basement suite." She explains as she picks up a large chunk of glass, "they had the most gorgeous boy last year so she watches Henry when I'm at work." And she sees relief filter pass through Regina's eyes.

A selfish part of her feels anger because it wasn't like Regina was currently single, but she doesn't need more to apologize for. "He misses Henry and I, I asked him about a transfer for the summer."

Regina nods like she doesn't really care, but her back relaxes and Emma is thankful. "I made you an omelette, but it might be a bit cold."

"Well Miss. Swan, I do have a oven." Regina calmly states as she moves in like a queen to take over her kitchen.

They eat in silence until both their coffees grow cold and Emma can barely take the silence anymore .

"I'm sorry I left." She begins at the beginning.

"That part I understand, a tiger rarely changes her spots," Regina informs her, " not so much the part where you didn't check in for a year. Your parents were devastated. Chasing after you, tracking you with a private detective, we thought, they thought you were dead."

"I know.' Emma bites her bottom lip and fights off the tears hearing about how worried she had left her parents once again.

Emma knows because her mother had told them how they had hired a private detective to find them. It had started with yelling at Emma, but after the first three words her mother just sat on the bed in the hotel and cried and cried and cried. It was perhaps the most shameful moment of Emma's entire life, that morning.

"You know?" Regina questions her voice breaking, "do you know? Did you know?"

Emma watches Regina and maybe she doesn't know because Regina has tears in her eyes, where Emma has never seen tears in her eyes before.

"I don't think you know Emma." Regina states shaking her head, as she wipes the glistening away that had formed in the corner of her eyes.

"I don't think you know, because I loved you. Somewhere along the line, with all the sex and the late nights, the sneaking around… how did you not know that you had nestled into my soul?."

She stops because Emma is staring open mouthed at her because she never knew. Regina loved Daniel, everyone knew that. They were perfect together, Storybrooke's golden couple. While her and Regina fought tooth and nail, scraps and arguments, the class president and highest GPA Storybrooke High School had ever seen, while the blonde had been the troubled teenage daughter, who spent most of her teenage years being mentored by the Sheriff.

"You had no idea." Regina deadpans as Emma shakes her head because she didn't. "I guess honestly I never knew I was truly in love with you until after you were gone."

Emma shakes her head again because now she remembers soft kisses and gentle touches. Tight hugs after orgasmic bliss, dark nights when Regina had almost seemed reluctant for Emma to slip out of her bed.

But when she left her teenage eyes had only seen secret rendezvous with eyes shut, passion that she believed streamed from Regina's annoyance with her.

And they both sit in silent, lost in memories of the past.

-flashback-

Emma grins as she scales up the ivy, her hands are freezing but she has tried scaling in gloves before and it didn't end well. The snow had fallen all Christmas Eve so her and Killian spent the entire day sledding down by the Toll Bridge. Her parents were busy at home wrapping up Emma's gifts and had kicked her out of the house for the night until they were finished.

Of course, Emma had headed to the Gold-Mills mansion right away. Especially since Neal had texted her this morning with exclamation marks that Regina was too sick to go on their yearly Christmas cruise. Emma had shot of a text quickly to the older brunette, who was home for the winter break in between her college semester.

But for the first time Emma can remember, the text was not returned and she would have stopped by earlier but spied Daniel's truck in the driveway and had headed home disappointed.

With a grin she knocked on the window, blowing at her fingers that felt like they might just fall off. It took a minute or two, before a dark head shook furiously behind the glass at Emma, pointing to her open mouth with her finger in a puking motion.

Shrugging her shoulders at the older girl, the blonde just pointed out the fact that her fingers were going to fall off if the other girl was not going to open it. This caused the brunette to stomp her foot in anger, but she took a step closer and opened the window.

"Bout, fucking time," Emma sighed, jumping down from the window, "I was freezing my balls off."

"You don't have balls, dear." Regina informs the blonde as she nestles back into her bed, "Is there a reason you are here, Miss. Swan?"

"Yes, indeed." Emma grins hopping next to her on the bed, and trying to find her face underneath all the blankets, "you... And of course there is the minor fact that it's snowing, and Christmas Eve."

Regina rolls her eyes as Emma finally uncovers her face, the older girl looks quite sick, her forehead is shining with sweat and her body is shaking.

"Charming as always," Regina shivers, "but you are correct that it is quite chilly out."

Emma frowns holding out her hand to the brunette's forehead because it is quite warm in the girl's room and there is no way that Regina should be that cold.

"You're burning up," Emma tells the girl, "has anyone checked on you at all today?"

"Daniel tried to come up, but he left when I told him I was fine." Regina whsipers so Emma pulls off her covers.

"Miss. Swan I am not in the mood for games."

"Don't worry, neither am I," Emma tells her, "let's go. When my fever is this high my mom always puts me in a lukewarm bath."

She manages to get the older girl into the bath, and once she is settled in, Emma quickly heads back to Regina's room to get her phone.

Punching in her parent's number, she waits until her mom picks up, "Emma what's wrong?"

"Nothing, well actually, I just, Neal asked me to check on Regina to make sure she isn't dead because she has the flu. So I'm here and she is really hot and shaking so I told her to get in a lukewarm bath like you used to give me when I had a fever but I.." Emma trails off because she can't tell her mom that scared shitless at the way the other girl looks.

She peeks into the bathroom once again, Regina's eyes are closed and her shaking seems to be slowing down.

"Emma," Mary Margaret informs her, "get some tylenol into her to help take the fever down. She should be taking at least two every four hours. Make sure you get fluids into her because if she doesn't drink enough she can get dehydrated."

Emma sighs in relief, "So she'll be okay?"

"She'll be fine, I'll put some chicken soup on and I'll bring it over tomorrow morning." Her mother says softly, "you should stay the night and make sure she's okay."

"Thanks mom," Emma heads downstairs to find some tylonel and something to drink, "but its fine, I'll come home tonight. I know how important Christmas is to you and dad." It's always been her parents favorite holiday, because it was the day they found out they were expecting with Emma.

"Why don't I put the soup on right now, and I'll come by in two hours and pick both of you up." Her mother suggests, "No one should be alone on Christmas."

"Alright," Emma agrees because she hasn't been the easiest teen this year, but she also doesn't want to leave Regina alone. She hangs up with her mother and heads up the stairs, not quite sure how to inform the snarly brunette exactly what she has just agreed to.

It's an hour later and they are lying in bed, tangled together, Emma stroking Regina's hair who is dozing lightly. She seems a lot better and has nestled her head into Emma's neck, and the blonde has spent the last half an hour trying to figure out exactly how she was going to inform Regina that her mother was picking them up.

The doorbell rings twenty minutes later, and Regina sits up in confusion before fixing a pointed glare at Emma, "What exactly did you do Miss. Swan?

Emma looks sheepish for a moment under the sick brunette's frown.

"I may have, well my mother is here to pick us up. No one should be alone on Christmas." She repeats her mother's excuse.

She expects ranting and raving, along with having to pull the older girl down the stairs but to here amazement, ten minutes later they are piling into the backseat of her parent,s car and Regina hasn't complained once.

-end flashback-

"Where did you go?" Regina asks as Emma places her cup of coffee on the table.

"Christmas Eve, my senior year," she replies honestly, "you were so sick, I was so scared I actually called my mother."

Regina smiles softly, "Who picked me up and mothered me the entire weekend."

"Yes, she sure did." Emma grins because her and Ruby had sat together laughing as the older brunette opened her mouth for the second time in one hour for her mother to check her temperature again.

"She loved it, informed me after you left that you were welcome anytime if it would mean I would stay home that often."

"I wasn't exactly the best patient at the end." Regina remembers along with Emma.

"I was amazed you lasted that long, but I was so happy." Emma informs the Mayor.

"Really because I do remember you being quiet temperamental at times, something about being hornier than hell with me in your bed and not being able to do anything about it."

"Until I did." Emma proudly grins.

"Indeed you sure did." Regina smirks back as they walk to the living room. Emma takes a seat on one side of the couch and Regina faces her on the other.

"I was happy," Emma finally breaks the silence, "because it was three days Daniel didn't get any of you."

Regina nods, like she already knew, but needed to hear.

"So Daniel?" She asks and Regina shakes her head.

"Not today." She warns and Emma is thankful.

"So Neal?" The blonde suggest and this time, although the older woman's lips tighten into a frown she doesn't shake her head.

It takes a few minutes for Emma to start, because there is so much, and so many mistakes.

"Point form, will be enough detail, dear." Regina states in her Mayor Mills voice as Emma begins.

"Neal had been trying to convince me to leave for a while, but I was dragging my feet because you were in town, and I loved you. Until, until after I," Emma pauses her eyes trying to forget the memory, "after I walked in on you and Daniel, I realized that..." Emma trails off because she doesn't want to tell Regina her feelings about that day.

She doesn't want to talk about how the sight of him on top of her naked had caused her to puke for three weeks straight. How her heart hurt and her eyes burned and the pain was worse than anything else she has ever been through, worse than even childbirth.

That even four years later she still remembers that day and it still makes her want to cry.

"I left." Emma says bluntly as her leg begins to bounce with nerves.

"Neal had been bugging me for weeks, he didn't know the reason I had stayed was because of you. So we left. We piled into his yellow bug, and drove off to find happy endings. The first month is a little hazy for me because I don't remember much. I spent most of it in a drunken stupor."

"I think the worst part of that month was that Neal kept asking me what was wrong and I knew he was in love with me so I couldn't tell him. Anyway, after the first month Neal had hit his limit with me and told me to figure my shit out or he was calling my parents. I sobered up extremely quickly because no phone calls home was one of our rules." Regina glares at this.

"Unless one of us was dying," she quickly adds, "We were heading into Florida and parked in a car lot when I noticed that Neal was siphoning gas. I asked him about it and he told me that he had not used any of his cards yet and was going to try to hit six months. Of course, I told him he would never make it, but agreed to his plan."

"Idiots," Regina spurts out.

"Maybe, but we left Florida and then traveled to California. By the time we hit Washington it had almost been a year. We had been siphoning gas and stealing whatever we could because Neal had had made it to six months, and we were both stubborn enough to try to keep going. By now it was a game to try and have the other use their card first. We would dine in fancy restaurants and leave the other sitting with the bill, or tank up the car and hide in the bathroom." Regina nods like someone had explained this part of the trip to her.

"I finally hit the anger stage at about a year, it was a combination of events that added up to one really shitty night."

"It started when I used my credits card for the first time. I told Neal it shouldn't count because I was using it for someone else, but Neal was an ass sometimes and disagreed. I was pissed at Neal, but I wasn't going to leave the kids hungry, they were so young so I took them for dinner and then bought them some…."

"Winter jackets and clothes." Regina imputed, "the detective got the receipt. Your mother instantly knew it was you. Going on and on about her Emma who had a bleeding heart."

"Of course she did," Emma chuckled glad Regina had eases the tension a bit because this next part was going to be hard.

"Neal kept bragging about winning like he always did. And if it would have been the old me, it wouldn't had bothered me because I would have believed I won just by helping those kids out. But I was bitter at the world, angry. So after a month of listening to him brag every time he went another week without using his card, I got sick of it."

Emma steadies her breathing and continues, "So one night, he left with the bug to siphon gas from a nearby parking lot, I did shot after shot of tequila, working myself into a raging frenzy. I remember being so proud because I had come up with the perfect 'fuck you' to the Gold-Mills kids."

At this Regina takes a deep breath and looks like she might puke, so Emma quickly finishes.

"I don't remember anything else. I woke up next to a naked Neal, in a five star hotel room, and pounding on the hotel door."

The blonde stares at her hands, because can't look at Regina she is so full of shame.

"I don't remember anything of that night, none of it. But I do know, I know that I did it because I wanted to. Neal did not take advantage of me." Emma stops than because Regina's hand were curled into fists and her vein was popping in anger.

She starts to open her mouth but Emma stops her, "I need to finish. The knocking was my parents at the door. Neal opened the door and instantly ran to the bathroom to get dressed. I just sat there in my tank top and underwear as my mom wrapped me in her arms and cried. They told me about the detective that they thought I was dead, and I was so ashamed. They tried to take me back home, but I wouldn't go, I couldn't face you."

"So they made a deal with me. I was to attend a local college in Boston, with or without Neal, and they would check up on me every two months." Emma shakes with relief, glad that the worst part was over. She glances at the older woman who is watching her.

"I'm sure there is more dear." She says motioning for Emma to continue.

So Emma sits next to her on her white couch and tells her about she told Neal she was gay, and that he had been a bad mistake. She cries as she tells the Mayor how Neal left because, he needed to fix his broken heart and how she completely understood.

The blonde tells Regina about her missed period and fighting, because Neal didn't want a child so young. So they agreed to give him up for adoption but after delivery her mom encouraged her to hold him and he was so little and she loved him instantly.

Regina is quiet as Emma tells her how she once again selfishly took something that should never have been hers. But the older brunette smiles softly when Emma tells her that she has never made a better decision, because her little boy is everything.

Of course, Neal was angry because Emma was selfish and he wasn't ready. So Neal decided that Emma would raise the baby by herself because it would be a poisoned relationship. She tells Regina about how she had pleaded with him to change his mind but then in anger he had told her that he knew.

That he knew that Emma had been with Regina behind her back, and that Regina had broken her hear, and he is so angry, and he deserves to be.

So Emma's mom comes during the summer and stays in Boston, while Emma finishes at the police academy and graduates top of her class.

Somewhere during the story, Emma ends up Regina's arms with the older woman gently rubbing soft circles over her abdomen.

It's almost nine, which makes her feel a bit better, because all she can think about is Henry and how much she misses him.

"What time are you meeting them?" Regina asks as Emma glances at the clock once again.

"Nine."

"You should clean up then, dear." Emma nods and heads up the stairs towards the shower. She pauses at the top to see Regina, still lost in thought, sitting on her white couch. Her eyes are lost faraway in a past, a past where Emma hurt so many people.

The shower is burning hot, and as the water pounds down on her, Emma cries. Because Regina had loved her.

Tears fall faster because she had ran, and lost her chance.

An arm tentatively wraps around her waist and pulls her close and Emma's body shakes as she cries for Neal and for so many mistakes. She cries for lost loves and children with no winter jackets. But mostly she cries because she loves Henry more than anything in the world, so she knows that even if she had to redo every single mistake she made she would because her mistakes gave her the most precious gift, her son.

Soft hands knead shampoo into her hair and gently wash Emma as she cries. When she turns to return the favour to the other woman, whose eyes are also filled with tears, she cries for someone else.

She cries for Daniel.


	6. Every Step I take I'm not alone

The stables are quiet on this Sunday morning.

She had texted her mother that she would be fifteen minutes late, but the blonde still feels bad as she clambers quickly out of the car. Regina hadn't said much to her after her meltdown in the shower. In fact, they had gotten out and dressed in complete silence until Regina had offered to drop Emma off at the stables.

"You coming out?" Emma asks Regina who, after a brief moment of consideration, nods and climbs out.

Henry is hopping around like Tigger next to her Dad's truck, when he spies Emma he runs as fast as his little legs could carry him towards her. She meets him halfway twirling him in the air before hugging him close and tightly.

"Too hard, mama," he stifles out.

Emma's mom laughs lightly as the blonde apologetically mutters, "Sorry little man, I just missed you so much."

"It is ok." He says lovingly as she ruffles his hair, " I forgibe you."

"Gina, hi, i Tigger today." Henry grins up at the older woman who stands behind Emma. The Mayor once again crouches next to him, "Good morning Tigger, you seem very bouncy today."

"Tigger bounce cuz he too happy."

Emma laughs correcting him, "because he is so happy, Henry."

"Right, tooo happy." he agrees proudly as Regina smiles softly at him.

"Tigger, are you ready to see the horses?" the brunette asks as he nods happliy.

She looks surprised when he grabs her hand pulling her as fast as he can toward the stables. Emma watches them go, as pretty as a picture, that she found out this morning, could have been. It hurts knowing she was so close to her dream, as she trails behind them with her mother.

"How was your morning?" Mary Margaret asks as Emma frowns at her mother.

"How long have you known?" Emma asks because it seems they were Storybrooke's worst kept secret.

"Since your senior year." Mary Margaret replies with a soft smile, "That phone call on Christmas Eve, I was sure that you two were more than, well enemies. You only ramble on when you are scared and the way your face lit up whenever you looked at her, well a mother knows."

"Why didn't you say anything?" She questions as her mother turns with a soft smile.

"You would have run, and I didn't want to push, besides I had assumed for so long it wasn't really a shock." Emma stares questioningly at her mother, who laughed lightly.

"You asked when I knew for certain, I assumed since the middle of junior year that you two were finally acting on feelings. I confess I didn't quite understand what was going on, I mostly figured on Daniel being a, well her... beard."

"He was definitely not a beard, mom," Emma groans embarrassed, "I wanted her and I took what I could get."

"Yes, you did Emma." Her mother kindly assures her, "but mistakes are forgivable. The important thing is to make sure to learn from them and this time do it right."

It's a warning.

In the nicest way her mother can word it. Because her parents are happy, and loving, and so forgiving, parents who believe in true love and happy endings.

It used to make her angry, their ideal optimism, and always believing everything would work out fine. Especially living in Boston where she was raising a child alone and pining for a lost love.

Watching as her father picks up Henry and places him on the back of a big black horse, Regina holding tightly onto the reins, she hopes her parents are right. She wants that happy ending. Because last night, as good as it felt to release years of passion and anger and wanting and missing, this morning felt the same as it had all those years ago; a morning of regrets in exchange for a night of pure bliss.

"I keep making the same mistakes and I don't know how to quit." Emma honestly tells her mom as she leans against the stable door watching Regina lead Henry's horse.

"Wook Mama," he waves and she waves back.

"Looking good kid." She yells before turning back to her mom, a lost little girl once again.

"Sometimes, I think, it works if you place yourself and your wants last." Her mother suggests. Emma thinks about it , thinks it might work because she had never thought of anyone but herself and her needs last time.

"If you love her, truly are in love with her, you might need to let her go." Mary Margaret continues as tears come to Emma's eyes.

"I can't, I don't know how to live in this town anymore without her, I was having a hard enough time living in Boston without her." Emma cries softly, her mother wrapping her in a tight hug.

"We will help, and Ruby and Granny." her mother whispers as Emma's tears stream down her face, "Henry has made it easier, bearable even or not."

"He did," Emma gulps, "but then I came here, and I saw her, and I don't think I can let her go, I want to hang on to whatever piece she gives me."

"Oh, Emma," her mom whispers, "try, and I promise, it'll get easier and if it's meant to be it'll be better than ever; because if she loves you, and you put her first, she will fall in love with you again."

They are quiet after the brunette finally steps back, wiping at her daughter's tears with her hand.

Emma thinks of Graham, and his kind father who spent hours with her. She thinks of Regina, whom Emma had hurt so bad, and she knows her mother is right.

It has to stop. She needs to stop leaving and hurting people she loves.

"I hurt her." Emma informs her mother, who nods.

"You did. You hurt a lot of people who love you. That first year, people spent a lot of time together trying to find you." It's not said in anger, but in love even though it still hurts the blonde. Watching her mother lean against the barn, keeping an eye on Henry, David and even Regina she realizes something that she hadn't noticed at the diner.

Somewhere along the years her mother learned to care deeply for Regina. She watches as the older brunette brushes her hand along the horse, before stopping next to Henry. He seems to be asking multiple questions, but the Mayor doesn't seem to mind because her eyes are twinkling in good humour.

"You really knew junior year though?" Emma questions wondering how her mother kept silent for so long. The older brunette was not good at keeping secrets, everyone knew that.

Mary Margaret just smiles at the unanswered question, "The secret was easy to keep, because it protected my daughter."

"What secret?" David asks as he stops next to Mary Margaret, pulling her in for a kiss on the forehead.

"Mom," Emma warns.

"Oh, Emma, ask him when he knew." The older woman just chuckles.

"Ask me what?" The older man says wrapping Emma in a bear hug.

"Regina and I." She mutters under her breath.

"Oh," David says looking uncomfortable. "Well, it was the summer I filled in for Deputy Han. I got a call that someone was sneaking into the mayor's house."

Emma shakes her head slightly, "that's the summer..."

She trails off because that was the summer before Regina left for college.

Her dad chuckles, "Yeah, imagine my surprise when I thought I was going to give Daniel a stern talking to about respecting woman, instead I see my blonde haired, sixteen year old daughter, sneaking away out of Regina Mills bedroom window."

At that Emma is mortified her eyes narrowing at her parents who are both grinning broadly, "I'm going to find my son," she tells them heading toward the field.

"Karma will come, just wait till Henry is sixteen." Her dad yells after her wrapping her mother in a one-armed hug, and laughing loudly. Emma sticks her hands in her ears, climbing the fence toward Regina and Henry.

The morning speeds by until it's almost noon and and Henry is getting tired.

Regina and her dad had left earlier for a meeting with the school board.

She had only nodded a polite goodbye to Emma after wrapping Henry in a hug, and smiling at Mary Margaret. Although an hour, later she received a text telling her that Graham was expecting her this afternoon.

"He's down," Emma informs her mother, joining her on the couch. "Is Dad going to be back soon?"

"Most likely not till late this afternoon," her mother replies, "town meetings tend to run long."

"I need to head out and talk to Graham, since it seems like Regina just might be okay with my transfer." The blonde rolls her head back, her eyes shutting, she needs a nap.

"She might be okay, because and Regina are?" Her mother asks trailing off.

"We, well it kind of, just," Emma sputters out, "I don't know, it's always been very.."

"Passionate."

"Yeah. So this morning I called Robin, my Captain, and he told me that I had a transfer already faxed over, bloody Englishman." Emma stops remmebring she needs to call Will, her partner.

"I told her I had put in a transfer and she told me that if I was going to stay in this town that she needed to know. So I told her about, well, I told her about the last four years" The blonde begins thinking back to Regina running fingers through her hair as Emma softly whispered her apologies.

"She told me that," Emma's voice falters here because although she would not redo history, she also hates herself for not checking in, "she told me that she loved me, that she was in love with me. I just don't know."

"Don't know what?" Mary Margaret asks confused.

"If she was truly in love with me, the real me. I wasn't just in love with her; I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I used to lay in my bed and dreams of days when we could wake up together. I wanted a wedding under the clock tower, because it's broken, but so meaningful, just like we have always been. I wanted her and everything else that came with her, and I knew that."

"And you think that she, that she what?"

"I think she was in love with me, but that me was always her dirty secret, her fuck you to Neal and Gold and her mom. I can't help but wonder if she just was in love with that me, because I don't want to be that me anymore."

Her mother shakes her head, "Oh Emma, I think you were so much more to Regina and you deserve to be so much more."

"I just, she hurt me so much." Emma's voice is breaking because she hurt that day, seeing Regina and Daniel, and she still hurts so much, "and so I hurt her back, worse. Lot's worse, I had sex with the one person she truly despised, and then to top it all off, I parade Henry around town, so she is reminded of it every day."

"I think that is what she saw yesterday, when she looked at Henry." Mary Margaret hands her a Kleenex, "but watching her with Henry today, I think she sees Henry. A beautiful little boy, with your chin and charisma."

"I'm still shit." Emma wipes her eyes.

"No Emma, you are kind and giving and fierce and forgiving with one of the kindest hearts I know," her mother leans forward wiping a tear from Emma's cheek.

"You're my mother, you have to say that." Emma protests with a choking laugh as her mom wraps her in a warm embrace and Emma curls into her warm embrace in a way she hasn't for years.

Emma jumps as the loud ring of her cell phone wakes her from her sleep. Her mother is reading a book, her arm still around her as Emma realizes that she must have fallen asleep. Leaning over her mother she quickly answers, "Hi."

"Miss. Swan, your phone etiquette still leaves much to be desires." Comes the low sultry voice of Regina Mills, instantly causing low shivers to run down her spine.

"Madame Mayor," she teases back, because two can play this game. There is a clearing of a voice, before the older brunette answers back.

"I just talked to the Sheriff who mentioned that you had not been by yet. I assumed this afternoon meant before dinner time."

Emma looks up in surprise that she slept that long, indeed it was after four.

"Sorry, I took a nap, I'll head over there right now." Emma explains as she gets up from the couch and stretches.

"If an afternoon nap is something you require, I'm not sure that we have a position available, Miss. Swan." Regina rasps in her low voice again although this time there is a bit of amusement laced through it.

She wants to continue with the teasing but as she heads to the door, her mother shoots her a pointed look.

"No, it was a one off," she tells the lady sincerely, "please, let Graham know I am on the way."

There is a brief pause on the other side of the phone, than Emma hears "That's fine. I will let the sheriff know," Then there is only the dial tone of the phone.

"Fuck," Emma pulls on her boots, now she has gone and pissed off that woman once again. She dials her old partners phone number on the way out to her call. She needs to tell Will first hand that she will most likely be gone the entire summer.

He won't be happy that she is leaving him hanging, but he has been encouraging her to 'go back and get some with that hot brunette ' for the past years.

It only seems fitting that she is back in the one place in Storybrooke where she spent the majority of her youth, she thinks as she parks her bug. The conversation with Will had been relatively painless, except for the part where he wanted to know all the details about last night.

As soon as she walks through the doors, she remembers Graham's father, a gruff Irish man with a heart of gold. Before his passing, he had run his sheriff's department believing that kind words and second chances would reform troubled teens.

Emma had been one of those troubled teens. Young enough to not want to be different, but old enough to know it was too important not to. Young enough to allow a kind man to mentor her, because she was too old to allow her parents to talk her into visiting Dr. Hopper, the therapist.

So instead, Emma had spent her free time with Sheriff Humbert.

A fight would result in hours of filing, a night in the drunk tank to a month of cleaning gutters for the elderly, and graffiti on a town wall would result in months of picking up garbage and painting fences. All under the Sheriff's watchful eye, as he would take about his glory days and wrong choices he had made.

In the end, he had never recorded any of her misdemeanours so when she applied upon graduation to the Police Academy she had no record at all.

"Regina mentioned you would be stopping by this afternoon." Graham's drawls as Emma slowly walks into his office. He is leaning back in his chair, aged a little in a way that has turned the beautiful boy into a handsome man. His dimple more pronounced with a short trimmed beard, that gives him an air of authority.

She had spent years with Graham as well, many late nights with him and his father. Graham's mother had passed when he was about five she remembers, so it had only been the two. He had been the sweetest boy, funny and cute, entirely too understanding and perhaps the only one in the town whom Emma would believe was good enough for Regina.

"Yeah, it's been awhile." She grins, her eyes catching his as her leg bounces up and down with nerves.

"It has been great for our local signage," her grins with a cheeky smile, as she shakes her head because it was the one time his dad had let them drive his patrol car and she had hit the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign.

She had sworn to his father that she swerved because of the rabbit in the road, but Graham had teased her mercilessly regardless.

"Still can't believe he made us replace that sign." She grins back at him, unable to resist his charming smile.

"Just be lucky he was sitting in the back, and we hadn't hotwired it like you suggested," Graham drawls, sounding just like his father, "we still be replacing signs."

"It's funny," Emma says glancing around the room, "I almost expect him to come around the corner."

The Sheriff nods, "I do as well, especially on nights like tonight."

"I'm sorry that I never came for the funeral." Emma apologizes; it's the one apology she has for Graham, "I should have been here."

Graham quickly shakes his head, "No, he wouldn't have wanted that. Your mother had stopped by about a month before, giving him your letter. He read it over and over again, told me that he was proud as hell and that you would make a damn good cop."

"I could have come." Emma will not allow him to make excuses.

"But you would have only came for him," Graham informs her, "and he wasn't here."

With that he takes a few darts from his desk, handing them to her, "you any better?"

"I've improved," she grins, and they head over to the dart board.

"That transfer comes with flying recommendations." Graham says as he lets a dart fly, that hits the green of the bulls eye.

"There's a lot of people who like to make their officers look good." The blonde informs him as his last two darts hit triple twenties.

"It's not as exciting here." Humbert tells her as he removes his darts and marks down a score of 170.

"I can tell," Emma grins at him, pointing to the dart board, "I'm afraid I'm about to get schooled.

He laughs as she throws her first dart, which thankfully lands a single twenty. He is quiet as she lines up and shoots the next two. Both hit, one a double and another single twenty.

"You had a close call." He gently licks his lips as he marks down her score of 80.

She looks at him, his face scrunched in concentration. She knows instantly what he is referring to. Tendencies to jump in too quickly have never quite gone away. Even Regina had paused with her kisses as she noticed over the scar on her right rib cage. The scar had caused the older woman to pause and it looked like she was going to ask, but then she had settled back down over Emma, her fingers beginning thrusting again. Instead of questions, the brunette had captured Emma's lips in a bruising kiss, her left hand rubbing the scar as Emma came.

"It wasn't as bad as it looks, missed all major organs." Emma shakes herself out of memories and marks down Graham's score of 160. Grabbing the darts she throws them quick and fast, needing to hit something.

"You always were better, when you relied on your instincts," Graham laughs as he stares at the red bull's eye, and two double twenties.

"So.." Emma closing the conversation and leaning against the desk in the room, "will the transfer work for the summer?"

"It works out perfect for us, we need a position filled in order for anyone to take any holidays. Mulan started a self-defence school so she only wants part-time hours for the summer." Emma briefly remembers the Chinese girl, with dark silky black hair who rarely smiled.

"Self-defense?"  
Emma questions, "Wasn't she a black belt at thirteen already?"

"Yeah, remember her?" Graham asks, replacing the darts into his desk, "She's been itching to quit for a while now. At least this will give me the summer to find a replacement for her full-time in September, Regina has been telling me for months that I need to find one."

"I will, be leaving at the end of the summer." She tells him, because she had forgotten when they were playing darts, but now he is smiling at her devilishly handsome and her chest hurts because she remembers him and Regina.

"Alright, well things change." He seems puzzled at her abrupt change in attitude, so quickly hands her a bunch of paperwork.

"I faxed off the paperwork early this afternoon, after Regina stopped by to sign. I didn't fill in an end date, so just let me know in August when your last day will be." Graham softly backtracks, his endearing personality desperately to right whatever wrong he may have done, "I hope that's okay."

It's almost too much, as she takes the paperwork and heads towards her yellow bug. Once she is inside she leans back against the head rest, her eyes closing.

She can almost see him sitting beside her, talking about his past years and all the bad choices he made. Remembering what her mother told her, she thinks about Graham and Regina, and it hurts, it hurts so much that she actually feels like she is being stabbed again.

The choices that we make, she thinks and she reaches for her phone and pulls up the number Regina called from earlier. With tears falling, on her fingers she slowly punches out a text and sends it.

'Last night can't happen again.'

.


	7. Chapter 7 - Lost in the Twilight Zone

AN: Hey, hey hey! Thanks for all the kind reveiws!

It's been almost a month since she has crossed the town line, back into Storybrooke.

Henry has asked to have breakfast at Granny's this morning, so they are currently waiting for Ruby to bring out their pancakes.

Her eyes are bloodshot, since she just finished her last shift of nights, and even though she wants to do nothing but curl up into bed she is watching Henry read a book in the booth as she fights to stay awake.

Graham's shifts consist of four days followed by one day off, than four nights followed by two days off, leaving her with more time to spend with Henry then she would have had in Boston. For that she is extremely grateful, although this morning she almost wishes she had asked Henry for a boycott.

With her shifts and taking care of Henry, she has been too busy to think of much else, which thankfully has helped in keeping her thoughts off the Mayor.. In fact, since Emma sent Regina the cryptic text message, she has only seen the brunette three times.

The first time was when someone sprayed graffiti on the Town Hall walls with the words, "kill the Evil Queen." Emma had inwardly chuckled at the call, until she had seen the graffiti. This was long past a childhood joke, so she was quite serious as she stopped by the mayor's office. Regina's secretary had asked to taken a message because Regina had asked for no visitors, but in Emma Swan fashion, she had charged in and demanded Regina tell her what the hell was going on. Regina informed her that she had already discussed the issue with the Sheriff and she would appreciate it if Emma could make a appointment next time she needed to discuss business. Emma had left in a huff, but not before she realized that the skirt Regina was wearing made her ass look fantastic.

The second time was at when Henry had spied her across the street and in true toddler fashion had ran over yelling, "Gina" at the top of his lungs. Emma had approached slowly watching as Regina knelt down next to him as she drew him into conversation. The Mayor had seemed almost reluctant to let him go, until she spotted Emma and with a grimace, stalked away.

When Emma returned home ranting about the gull of the woman, Emma's mom had told her that she was probably having a just as hard a time adjusting to Emma being in Storybrooke as Emma was with having the brunette so close. Emma wondered that night, high strung and sexually frustrated, if putting someone else's needs was really worth it or if she should just head over to the Mayor's house and get on her knees.

She headed downstairs ready to grad her red leather jacket, when her mother's quiet voice leaned out of her bedroom door and asked if Emma was alright. Emma sheepishly nodded and went into the shower instead, where she spent half an hour where Regina starred in every R-rated sex scene she could remember.

The third time was this morning, because Regina was patiently waiting for her coffee while Emma stared through sleep filled eyes at her.

Henry, looked up from his book, "Mama, where cakes?"

"Soon, Ruby will be out soon." Emma smiles at him, taking his book from his hands.

"I no see Ruby, I see Gina," Henry spots the older woman bellowing out, "Gina."

"Drat," Emma hisses as Regina turns and waves at the toddler.

She has never been more thankful that Ruby hands them their pancakes at that moment, because she doesn't want to have to explain to Henry why Regina was not going to have breakfast with them.

She takes a huge bite, just as the brunette slids into the seat across from Emma, placing her coffee away from Henry. She begins to cut up fruit just like last time, calmly placing pieces on Henry's plate who is giddy with excitement.

"Healthy choices once again, Miss Swan," Regina cringes at her as she slathers her pancakes in syrup, almost hiding the whipped cream and berries.

"I've got my fruit," she points proudly to the blueberries poking out from under the syrup, "besides I had to run after Lost Boys all night." She had managed to catch five of them, although after a harsh reprimand she had let them all go but one, a boy name Peter, whom Emma was pretty sure had allowed himself to get caught on purpose.

"Yes, I heard." Regina leans in to wipe some whipped cream off Henry's face. "I believe Peter is the artist you were worried about."

She glances up at the mayor in surprise, "Peter have something against you?"

"More against my mother." Regina sighs, "He graduated last year and apparently was being vetted for a full ride to an art school in New York. But part of the vetting program is asking for his record, and my mother made sure Graham wasn't as lenient as his father."

"So. What was his charge?" She asks as her cell phone begins to vibrate on the table, which she ignores because she knows firsthand a boy with a vengeance is never a good thing.

"Possession, with intent to sell. He was young, never got caught again and Kathryn managed to get the sentence to just community service." Regina sighs than, as Emma tries desperately not to think about how much she wants to suck at the scar about Regina's lip. "But a record, is a record. Graham did ask my mother to expunge it due to good behaviour."

Emma nods, spearing a blueberry onto her fork, because high end art schools won't take anyone with a record. "Of course she didn't, because your mother is a piece of work."

"Indeed, she is Miss. Swan, and may I make a note my eyes are up here." Regina scowls as Emma realizes too late that she was currently eyeing the lacy purple bra the brunette was wearing, "i was Mayor at the time, so I tried to expunge it myself but if the Mayor who signed off on the charge is still alive, only she can get the record reversed."

"It should be mandatory for Mayor's to only have one button undone," Emma scowl at the woman, it wasn't her fault if the other woman was leaving them out for fair pickings.

"Your ability to stay on topic had always astonished me," sarcasm fills the brunette's voice as she shifts that causes her breasts to strain even harder against her shirt. Emma shifts uncomfortably as the older woman smirks at her effect on the younger woman.

"What does Graham think?" Emma asks taking a huge mouthful of her pancakes, because he hasn't told her any of this.

"He thinks it will blow over in a couple of months." Regina informs Emma, who instantly thinks of the angry boy in the back of her cop car. Sullen and full of wrath, and she isn't sure it's going to blow over.

"I talked to the kid last night." Emma informs the brunette, "he has no one."

"I know," Regina scowls as Emma slops some more delicious whipped cream into her mouth.

The blonde tries to say more, but she may have put in too much whipped cream and she can feels some hanging off her lip. Regina shakes her head in disgust, as her finger wipes the edge of her lips. Desire rushes through the deputy's veins as the air instantly fills with sexual energy. Regina's tongue peeks out and licks her bottom lip and Emma can't think about anything but capturing that tongue between her teeth.

She is already leaning forward when her cell phone vibrates once again, causing Regina to spring back. Emma inwardly curses as her lip tingles, biting it softly to stop the moan at the smell of apples that lingers. Regina's eyes are high, like she has forgotten how potent they are together.

They both stare at each other, lost in a haze of want until Henry asks for more pancakes and Emma breaks Regina's gaze and cuts up a few more pieces.

"Peter." Regina states as Emma turns back to the other woman.

"Right," Emma is pulled back into the conversation, "in Boston, we would be worried. Everyone wants vengeance, but looking at that kid it's worse when they have no one. In his eyes, all I saw was hate."

She shivers remembering the look in his eyes as he stared cockily at her from the backseat, "I know Storybrooke isn't Boston, but I've seen kids doing things that breaks your heart. Kids can be... hateful even here."

"So you think he is going to what, Miss, Swan," Regina glares, "kill me?"

"No, I just, be careful," Emma softly whispers, "I don't want you hurt."

Regina glare slowly softens, "What do you suggest?

"He is at the station, maybe just inform him that you tried, but that you could not expunge the record. That only your mother could." Emma watches as the Mayor thinks about what she suggested.

"I'll go by, and not because I should be apologizing for a mistake that he made." Emma watches as Regina slides out of the booth, "I should also remind you that you don't have the right to be worried about me any longer."

Emma sighs when a warm body slides in next to her. "Go home and get some sleep, deputy," Ruby grins nudging her shoulder, "your mom texted me that she will be here in five for Henry. Something about you not answering her calls."

The blonde nods nights of not sleeping are catching up with her.

"Oh, and deputy," Emma turns towards Red, "it's Friday which means, we are going out tonight."

The older woman groans, because the last time she went out with Ruby they had met up with Belle and Lacey, which had resulted in way to many drinks.

"Who is we?"

"Me, Lacey, Belle, oh and Killian and Tink,"

Emma shakes her head quickly, "hell no." She hasn't had sex in weeks and the last time they went out Ruby had worn, well let's just say, she couldn't handle another night of sexual tension. Especially after seeing Regina with her boobs straining at the material of her shirt, her finger brushing against her lip, if she had anything to drink tonight she would explode.

"Hell yes," Ruby replies, "you are coming cause it's Tink's birthday. She specifically told me my job was to get you there, looking hot. Which, by the way," Ruby leans in with a smirk, "does not mean skinny jeans, and those fuck me boots, no matter how much I see the appeal."

Emma groans. Of course Tink would call it her birthday, even though no one has ever known the exact day, not even Tink. Every year it's different because the shorter blonde was left at the nunnery when she was a baby, with a note that just said, "my little Tinkerbelle." So the short blonde randomly picks days for her birthday.

Emma remembers her senior summer when Tink had decided to celebrate for a week just so that she could make sure she got the right day. Of course, Emma had been drunk the entire week and Regina had not been impressed.

Although she sleeps till Henry is finished his nap, she spends the rest of the afternoon running after him so she was ready to hop back in bed, when Ruby appears at her door in a black, strapless dress.

"Fuck, you look amazing." She compliments Red.

"As will you," the brunette replies pulling her up off the couch towards the bathroom.

five minutes later, Emma climbs into the bug as Ruby checks out her ass.

"Why did Lace and I decide to put you off limits last time we went out?" she asks as she finally goes around to the other side of the car and climbs in.

"Because I am an adult, who makes crappy decisions and you are helping me not make any more wrong ones or something like that." Emma laughs remembering the drunk conversation between the two of them.

"Where did you get that red dress from?" The brunette asks, as Emma pulls out of the driveway, heading towards the Rabbit Hole.

"I had to go undercover at a high end party. They let me keep the dress."

"Fuck, I've got to get a job like that," than Ruby pauses, "or not."

Emma knows Ruby is remembering the three weeks last summer when her mother had stayed in Boston with Emma as she recovered from her stabbing.

The rest of the ride is filled with Red trying to cop a feel and Emma laughing because it's been so long since anything sexual has been fun. Perhaps never, because with Regina there was passion and angst and she never did the friends with benefits thing. But she is staring to see the appeal as Red's hand slips under her dress before she swats it away.

By the time they pull up to the Rabbit Hole, the blonde is contemplating allowing Ruby to just finish off her teasing, but can't bring herself to do it. So they climb out and before long Emma finds herself buzzing from whiskey and relaxing in the small bar of her hometown.

She spies August well before he notices her group. Maybe it's because she can tell he is higher than a kite, or maybe it's because he has been hiding from her for so long that he thinks he safe. But she's been watching him for almost half an hour, when she finally stumbles up to him.

"I'll have a whiskey," she tells Gaston behind the bar who nods, as she watches August's bleary eyes find hers.

"You've been hiding." She accuses and he nods, "what are you still doing in Storybrooke?"

"What are you?" He fires back.

"My parents want me to stay, how about yours?"

August sighs, "Yeah its amazing how fast the town forgived you, you know, you guys fucked up that poor little stable boy pretty bad."

She has almost forgotten what a fucking prick August can be when he is high. "Well, who fucked you up?"

She regrets it instantly, but the damage is done. "Maybe I fucked myself up, but I didn't royally fuck up the two people in this world who loved me."

Emma leans forward quickly not wanting this to get worse, "August I'm sorry."

She tries to get him to stop, but as she stares at him, his eyes red and wide, she curses becuase high and drunk were a lethal combination.

"Heard she cried for days, of course, poor little Daniel had no idea, wondering what the fuck was going on. Than your parents knocking on my door, had Graham's daddy ripping through my house convinced I knew something. He was going off on me, dragging me in like I could solve the answer on where his favorite girl could be. The whole town was pretty sure you were dead after about six months of silence. It was like a fucking ghost town here. Blank stares and cold eyes, and then of course Daniel found out."

She wanted to run, but she was stuck in the horror of it all, Her eyes full of tears and it took every bit of her strength to keep her sitting. "Daniel left, ran cause you guys destroyed his entire manhood, joined the army." Her eyes grow big at this because no one has told her this part.

She is hoping he is done now but he is swaying with joy like he is just getting started, his voice loud as the entire bar is quiet now. "Shut up," she whispers, but he laughs, "Shut up."

"Don't want to hear about him. Didn't mind fucking his girl behind his back. Must have been a tiger in bed to keep you interested Swan, maybe Daniel couldn't get it up…" Her fist hits his mouth before she even thinks and they don't hold back. Two lost souls on the ground in a dirty bar, punching and hitting in anger.

She calms when feeling strong hands pulling her away and hears Ruby's soothing voice. But it doesn't stop her from staring angrily at August. Killian is holding him back, his face is a mess, his eyes wide with anger and high in the throes of passion.

and she grimaces as she inhales at the sight of it because her ribs hurt.

The strong arm around her releases her, as she inhales deeply, cringing at the pull of her ribs, which are more than likely a bit bruised.

Turning around to mutter thanks, she is surprised when she sees Graham behind her staring at her disapprovingly. "Sorry," she mutters, "that was out of line."

Graham just shakes his head and then to her surprise hands her a cold beer. "He had it coming." She licks her lips tasting blood, as Ruby comes dancing back with a towel from the bar and some ice.

"You need to go see Whale?" Ruby inquires, but Emma thinks she is fine as she shakes her body out a little bit.

"No doctor tonight," she slowly turns heading back toward their booth, "what happened to him?" Generally, August is a prick when he is high, but that was pretty fucking low, even for him.

"I think he blames himself for Neal's death." Killian says finally sliding into the seat next to her, "I mean, kind of like survivors guilt." And Emma remembers in tenth grade when Killian's girlfriend, Milah, was killed by a drunk driver when Killian had been with her.

"Oh," she says as Ruby leans in close, wiping the blood off her face.

"Yeash, Let me kiss that better," the brunette grins and Emma hears cat calls as the girl leans in close. The softness of her tongue soothes the cut and Emma can't help but pull her in closer and open her mouth when Ruby flutters her tongue. She tastes like tequila, wild and untameable and Emma groans as hands race up to grab her ass. She is just about ready to pull back, when the other girl instead backs off quickly herself, a sheepish grin on her face.

"Miss Swan, "Regina scowls sitting down in the booth next to Graham. She glares at the blonde, her eyes piercing and cold, and Emma wiggles with guilt that she doesn't deserve.

"Hey," she replies sheepishly, "didn't know you were coming."

"Yes, it seems you were too busy involving yourself in childish spats." Emma wants to tell her that she was defending her, wants to make excuses, but with the alcohol and lust coursing through her veins she feels sixteen, ashamed of bad choices.

"Sorry." She pouts a little Instead.

"idiot," the brunette exclaims and the table laughs because it's so Regina and Emma.

It's almost one by the times she crawls into Regina's back seat with Ruby.

After their brief altercation Regina had mostly talked with the group, while Emma spent the majority of her time but steal glances at Regina's cleavage the entire night. Which Regina had definitely noticed especially when she went up to get a drink, because Emma had blatantly stared at her ass Even when the older woman had turned with a quirked eyebrow.

Ruby gets dropped off first and Graham, who is still on duty, decides to get out as well and walk the rest of the way to the sheriff's station. It's quiet until they reach Emma's parents house. She has stayed in the back seat because she knows that if she sits in the front there is nothing stopping her from devouring the gorgeous woman.

Regina turns as she pulls to a stop on the road, and Emma catches her eye from where she is lying sprawled out in the back seat. "You are a deputy in my town Miss Swan, you must stop behaving like a child."

It's a reprimand, and she deserves it so she says nothing. "Get your ribs checked tomorrow. I saw you flinching all night."

"If someone is going to blatantly dishonour a woman in front of me, I will punch them in the face. "Emma tells Regina.

"So you are what, defending my dignity?"

"Yes, maybe and he was going off about Daniel and I knew you wouldn't want that." This causes the other woman to soften a bit.

"Does what I want really matter to you?" Regina asks as Emma sits up, her head ending up much too close to the older woman's.

"Yes," Emma whispers, "very much so."

"So," Regina whispers in a raspy voice pulling Emma's head even closer, her breath next to Emma's ear. "If I told you I wanted to take you right now..."

Emma's body shivers, her insides clench and it's not fair that Regina can so this to her with a couple words.

Her mind is screaming at her to run but instead she pulls Regina in for a hard kiss. She tastes like cider and apples and promises and Emma can't breath as she tries to get closer. But there is a seat in the way, and Graham, and Daniel and all kinds of things that keep Regina out of reach. The seat, Emma knows is movable, so she ends up straddling Regina in the driver's seat where Regina finds her soaked clit way too quickly.

Emma's hands clench the driver's door and the back of Regina's seat as nimble fingers circle and finally enter. Regina starts a rhythm him quick and hard, three fingers stroking and twisting,

"You may think you can quit me, " Regina rasps as her fingers find Emma's g- spot, with a new angle, "but yet you are so wet for me."

"I... I always want you." Emma manages to stutter out.

"God," Regina's fingers move faster, "the things I want to do to you."

With that Emma comes hard and fast, as Regina pulls back her eyes searching Emma's. Whatever she is looking for she doesn't find because she opens her door and with a quick shove pushes Emma out the door.

"Get your ribs checked, deputy." She smirks, leaving Emma lying with her pants undone in the middle of the road. Emma can't stop the chuckle that bubbles up when the mayor drive away leaving Emma lying half naked, but finally sexually sated in front of her parents' house.


	8. One of These Lines, I Wouldn't Replace

AN: So... This is for all you ...

She isn't surprised that August shows up on her front porch the next night.

With a six pack of beer they sit in silence on the back deck, both sipping quietly in their own thoughts. He looks better, not as high and not as drunk, but still looks lost and alone. His face is still battered, although it doesn't look as bad without the blood, he is going to have a black eye and his nose looks a bit crooked.

"I'm sorry," he says straight on to the point as her spins a bottle cap between his fingers, "not about everything I said, but I deserved that punch."

She forgives him even though he had been an ass, because how can she expect this town to forgive her if she can't forgive as well.

"You were such an ass." Emma watches as the sun sets slowly on the quaint little town.

"I was, I need to stop drinking." August lifts the bottle to his mouth and takes a swig.

"You need to stop the drugs, August." Emma tells him kindly as he turns in surprise, "it's time."

"Truth is, I don't think I can stop," August sighs as she smiles kindly at him.

"God, I feel like my mother, but as she would say, that is a start." They both stare out at the fading sun.

"I am sorry." August apologizes again,

""It's okay, you are right most of it is true." She admits thinking back to racing hearts and sweating palms, muffled cries because Neal was sleeping down the hall. "I wanted her and I didn't care whose heart I broke in the meanwhile."

"Well, she wanted you as well." He sighs than pulling the label off his beer, "he was coming back."

The blonde spins to stare at the lost man, because August she knows he is talking about Neal. "Coming back for?" She asks hesitantly.

"Henry... and well for you, as friends, he changed about a year ago, right before we went skydiving in Australia. He wanted to see if you guys could work something out." August smiles at her, "he forgave you and now you need to stop wallowing and forgive yourself."

It's such a relief, that Emma actually feels like someone removed pounds of stones that had been weighing her heart down. She feels freer like somewhere, that whereever Neal was he was smiling at her now.

Until August stomps his foot down in disgust, "He wanted to fly home but I wanted to bring my bike so.."

Then Emma sees the guilt that Killian was talking about, and she reaches out and places her hand on his arm. "It was an accident. That's why they are called them."

"We should have. I really didn't need my stupid bike." His voice shakes as he finishes off his beer and pops open another.

"Well if that's your thinking that I'm actually responsible." Emma informs him.

"I was the reason he died. Because if I had just kept my legs closed... or let Henry be adopted than he would still her here. Shit happens, it just happens."

August doesn't say much just nods as if maybe she has a point and looks off into the distance.

Emma pulls out another beer, screwing off the cap as she gazes past her parents backyard.

It hurts even more knowing that Neal wanted to meet Henry because he would have been an amazing father. She thinks about his will, and the fact that he purposely set it up so that Emma would have to be involved with Regina and smiles. He made mistakes but he was a beautiful man.

"I'm heading out of Storybrooke," August says, "wanted to say bye, and sorry."

"Stay." Emma tells him because he looks like shit and she doesn't want him alone in the world. It's a lonely place.

"I can't, there is nothing here for me."

"Have you stopped by your parents?" Emma asks because August was adopted and she often sees Gepetto working in his shop. Once in a while he waves to her and she pops in, watching his old hands carve the wood to his desire. He has asked numerous times if she has seen his boy lately, grief marring his eyes.

"They don't want to see me." The lost boy who never grew up states , "Why would they?"

"Parents forgive, so quickly they actually forgive before you make the mistake." She insists because even if she wasn't a parent she remembers her mother's eyes full of love, hugging her so tightly in a cold hotel room full of regrets.

He leaves an hour later, but not before telling her to figure her shit out. "I may not know much Swan, but why are you still running away? Phone your boss, finish your transfer and find a place to live."

"I can't live in this town permanently without her." She tells him honestly and he laughs at her.

"She gave up her life for you, and you weren't even here. So show her you will do the same." For a man so lost, he is amazingly insightful.

It's not till she is lying in bed, sleep not coming that she makes the call to Robin. His voice is gruff and half asleep, but kind as she asks about a permament transfer.

"Permanents are a bit harder, we don't like losing the good ones." They talk for a while on speaker with Marion, until she finds herself almost dozing off and hangs up with a promise to visit and clean out her suite.

Henry's breathing is steady and calm, as she dozes off and dreams of scars above lips and sacrifices.

She knocks lightly on the Mayors, it has been two weeks since her request for a transfer and it was finalized this morning. She had asked him to keep quiet about it because she didn't want to get her parents hope up.

It didn't take long for the white door to swing open; Regina standing there in a shapely grey dress.

"Hey," Emma stammers shoving her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

"Hey." Regina replies sharply back, the word so snarky and silly coming from the woman that Emma bites back a chuckle.

"You have time to talk?"

"Perhaps, I do Miss. Swan, but what makes you think you deserve my time?"

"I'm charming."

"You can be." Regina agrees.

"I'm in very good shape." Emma adds.

"Yes, you are." Regina's gaze trails over her defined abs.

"You like my ass," Emma continues.

"Now you are pushing it, Miss. Swan." Regina warns as Emma smirks.

"I," she quickly adds, "I want to be friends."

"Friends?" An eyebrow quirks at her.

"Yes," Emma sighs with relief that the Mayor doesn't slam the door at the suggestion, "for Henry's sake, you seem to like him, and my ass, my abs and my charm, sometimes."

"Indeed, I do." Regina agrees.

"Sometimes you even enjoy spending time with me," Emma adds.

"I suppose so." Regina nods again.

"So, I was thinking, friends."

Regina opens the door wider and Emma grins as she walks in. "Shoes, Miss. Swan."

Emma removes her shoes before trailing after Regina to her study.

"Drink?" Regina questions, fishing around in her study for some strong whiskey.

"Yes, please." Emma watches her firm ass as she pours Emma a couple fingers and then fills her own glass with her homemade apple cider.

She turns, catching Emma's gaze on her ass, "My friends are a bit more subtle," she informs Emma.

"Subtlety was never my strong suit." Emma informs her and to her surprise Regina bursts out with a raspy chuckle.

"No, it wasn't," Regina sits facing her and unfortunately all Emma can now focus on is the third button that she has left undone. Her bra is lacy and red, peeking out in a tease, and Emma licks her lips thinking of what it's hiding.

"My friends don't generally check those out either."

"Oh they do,," Emma explains, "trust me, everyone checks them out, probably even Granny."

"So what type of friend are you planning to be Miss Swan?" Regina asks as she takes a long sip of her cider.

"Oh, the good kind, with guidelines." Emma replies quickly earning another low chuckle from the woman.

"That I do believe. The fast that you need guidelines." Regina grins at her.

"So," Emma begins sheepishly, "we should start with four feet distance at all times."

At that Regina falls into a fit of laughter, Emma grins at the carefree laughter.

When the Mayor finally gets a hold of her laughter, she peers inquisitively at Emma, "continue dear."

"Well, there's the matter of wardrobe. When hanging out with said friend, both members should dress appropriately an example would be long sleeved turtlenecks with loose skirts or pants." Emma looks at Regina's legs. "Actually no skirts."

She can tell Regina is barely holding her composure once again but there is no turning back for the blonde woman now so she blunders ahead.

"No touching, no raspy voices, no sexual comments, no dancing, no eyebrow lifting, no smirking, and no half lidded eyes." Emma proudly grins finishing with a flourish, as Regina stares open mouthed at her.

"Did you memorize that?"

"Perhaps," Emma admits, "I practiced in the mirror."

"You're serious." Regina states her eyebrow lifting in question.

"Yes, I kinda am. I like you but we need to start as friends..." The blonde woman trails off thinking that once they are friends, than they can eventually become more.

"Oh," Regina interrupts her train of thought, "I see."

She seems to ponder this for a while, until she leans forward slightly in her chair.

"Is it worth it to have a friend that leaves when summer ends in two weeks?" The Mayor stares at her daring her.

"I'm staying." She tells the brunette woman.

"How long?" The woman breathes out, her eyes lighting in surprise.

"For as long as.." Emma trails off, not sure how to reply exactly. "I'm looking at apartments."

"So indefinitely.." Regina finishes for her.

"Yes, it's time I came home, for good. My parents are here and Graham offered me a full time position, Henry loves it here." She offers before finishing the last finger of whiskey.

Regina uses the pause in conversation to top up their glasses. As she's pouring Emma adds, "the potential friends are pretty important as well."

Although the blonde purposely added the comment when she couldn't see the Mayor's face, she can't stop her knee from shaking up and down nervously. She hopes Regina wants this, needs Regina to want this.

Their hands brush as she takes her glass of whiskey, causing a shiver to run down her arm as Regina sits down once more.

"And if I don't agree to friends?" Regina asks, her eyes finding Emma, dark and full of something that Emma isn't quite sure of.

"It would totally suck." Emma whispers honestly.

"But you would still stay?" Regina questions.

"Yes, I'm here until the town kicks me out, I'm done running."

"Very well I can work with friends," Regina states, "but Miss Swan you will have to live with my clothes."

"Okay," Emma sighs in relief, "friends."

"Indeed, but I do have a few suggestions. First, no biting your lip, second, no curling your tongue, third, you will attempt to be more subtle when you admire my aspects and fourth, we both will do our best to avoid small cramped confined areas with only the two of us."

"Agreed." Emma nods readily; if not a bit proudly to know that she has the same effect on the older woman as the Mayor does on her.

They both sip on their drinks, Regina questioning about Henry's first two years. Emma tells her stories after stories, as they finish off their drinks together. It isn't long before she is walking out the door towards her bug.

Regina lingers in the doorway, before Emma climbs in she remembers Henry's request.

"Oh," she smiles, "Henry wants to go to the stables tomorrow around nine. He was wondering if his Gina can come?"

A soft smile forms on the Mayor's lips and she nods quickly as Emma hops into the bug. Emma's life lines are finally coming together.


	9. One Place Left I Want to Go

It's almost October when Emma pulls on her deputy winter coat. Maine gets chilly quickly once September leaves.

The last two months have been quiet, besides the odd drunken brawl, even the Lost Boys have been quiet which makes her a little nervous.

Regina and the blonde have become friends, strange friends who still find it unceasingly hard to keep their hands off one another, but friends. They have only had two slipups, once when Ruby had accidentally, or so she says, locked them in the diner freezer.

The other was when Henry had fallen asleep after a trip to the stables. Regina had carried him up to her room, and came out into the hall with a vengeance. It would have been okay, if her parents had been home because they would have just stopped instead Regina pinned her against the wall in the hallway, hands everywhere.

The last incident had only been last week and Emma had gotten herself off on it so many times since then, replaying Regina on her knees between Emma's legs her eyes staring into Emma's blue green eyes.

The wind blew the door closed behind her as she stomps into the sheriff's station, making her way to where Graham sits in his office.

"Morning boss," she chirps.

"Swan," he says motioning her to one of the chairs across from him "How was the night shift?"

"Quiet, but I'm guessing that's not why I'm here." She informs him as her nods

"Regina's mother is coming to town."

She was not expecting that. "Cora?"

"Yup, that woman. It's Regina's birthday in three days and she always makes a public appearance."

"Of course she does." Emma sighs.

"Regina's mother organized a get together at her place on Saturday," he continues and Emma is a bit hurt because the older woman hasn't informed her of this, and they have become friends, sort of, "it's quite boring and tedious but I need you there."

"Why?" She asks, hoping the man is not asking what she thinks he is.

"As a deputy, of course." Graham drawls.

"Right, because of Peter?" She nodds.

"No, not Peter, Cora just thinks she is royalty and whenever she is in town she wants us to provide her a bodyguard."

"Are you fucking serious?" Emma asks because the woman is a piece of work.

"Yup," Graham laughs, "I am taking the first rotation during my shift but technically I am off at five."

She shakes her head in utter disbelief as Graham continues, "I already talked to Regina, she knows I am asking you to do this."

What had started off as a pretty decent day was no longer decent she though as she heads out of his office. She pauses just before leaving, "Peter, you really don't think he's a problem?" She questions because she doesn't have a good feeling about that kid.

"I'm not sure, he seems to have calmed down since Regina talked to him. Regina agrees that he doesn't seem to harbour as much anger towards her anymore."

"Maybe not towards her," Emma argues, "but Cora did ruin the kid's life."

"He ruined it himself a long time ago Emma." Graham states, and for the first time Emma sees the difference between father and son. Graham's eyes are hard, unlike his father's whose eyes were always searching for redemption.

"Trust me, Graham, he doesn't see it that way." She warns the sheriff.

It's noon by the time she finishes her paperwork and her first rounds. And with a quick call to Granny's she has Regina's favourite salad and is heading towards her office. Amazingly her secretary waves her in without a second glance, and she plops down in the Mayors chair with a gusto.

They eat in silence as Emma ponders how to bring up Regina's birthday, becuase it's on Sunday and she has been contemplating asking the woman to, well to go on a date.

"Just ask Emma," Regina says softly and Emma looks up startled at the use of her name spoken in a soft tone.

"Your birthday?"

"Yes, I still hate celebrations and yes my mother still commands it," Regina informs, "so she arranged for a get together on Saturday night. I'm guessing Graham talked to you."

"He did." Emma leans back in her chair, "but your birthday is Sunday, and my last night shift is that Saturday, so I'm free for the next two days which includes Sunday night." Emma begins because she is done with waiting and being friends, she is ready for late nights of passion and mornings tangled in sweaty sheets.

"Is there a point to this rambling?" Regina inquires, as she licks her upper lip, fuck Emma thinks.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to do dinner Sunday?" She finally manages to get out, leaving Regina staring at her.

"Dinner?" She asks.

"Yup," Emma confirms popping the pee.

"Feel free to correct me if I am wrong Miss Swan but friends do not do dinner."

"You're right, they don't so you are allowed to say no, if you don't want to.." Emma trails off.

"Let me clarify?" Regina questions her voice dropping, "You are asking me on a date?"

"I think so," Emma says nervous. Fuck, after practicing in the mirror for a month, she really blundered.

"Miss Swan, have you ever been on a date?" Regina asks and Emma thinks back to the past four years and shakes her head negatively.

Whatever answer Regina was expecting that was not it, and it seems to catch her by surprise, but recovers quickly, "Well, I suppose that may have to do with a sincere lack of ability to properly ask a woman on a date."

"Sorry, your highness," Emma grins smirking a little, fine if the woman was going to act like the Evil Queen, "would you grace me with your presence tomorrow, my majesty, and accompany me on the eve, of this thine birthday?"

Regina seems quite pleased with that, nodding approvingly at Emma, "much better dear."

"So?" Emma, starts now getting a little cocky, "when am I picking you up?"

"How about you and Henry come to my house for dinner? I would rather stay in, but would love to have dinner with you."

Emma nods in agreement, her heart racing.

"Does seven work, Miss. Swan?" Regina questions as Emma nods.

"Great, than I will see you Saturday night, and Emma, dont be late."

Emma can't stop the smile that breaks across her face as she heads towards the door. She glances back at Regina before turning the corner. The older woman is busy shuffling paperwork on her desk, a small smirk on her face.

Emma proudly high fives the secretary before swaggering down the hall.

It's nine in the morning on Saturday, when Graham calls her informing her that Cora Mills had a sudden change of plans and would not be heading into Storybrooke this year. Emma sighs in relief because she was not looking forward to having to cater to that high-strung woman.

She spends the morning with Henry at the park, until Ruby calls her insisting she comes to the diner for lunch.

It's noon by the time they sit down with the waitress, who is bursting at the seams with excitement. "I just saw the hottest man in history."

"Ruby is Tigger, cause she bounces." Henry blurts out to his mother and Emma laughs because the brunette is literally bouncing on her seat in excitement.

"She sure is, kid." The blonde shakes her head in amusement at the other woman's antics.

"Oh," Ruby continues, "he was so fit with sharp features and the most gorgeous smile."

"So I'm here because?" Emma asks, Red knows guys aren't her thing.

"Oh, well the thing is he asked for Deputy Swan, so I told him to come back around noon, because you would be here for lunch." Ruby sheepishly informs her.

"Oh." Emma wonders exactly who is looking for her, until she takes a look at the swooning brunette and all suddenly becomes clear.

"Hell no, Ruby," she commands the brunette, "Knave is off limits."

"You know him?" The girl questions eagerly, without even acknowledging her first statement.

"Yes, if I'm right than it means my old partner is in town." The blonde slowly murmurs wondering why the man is in town this weekend.

"So you could hook me up?" The waitress grins.

"What did I just tell you, Rubes? We call him the Knave of Hearts for a reason, he is a crafty little bugger who steals woman's hearts."

"But he is gorgeous." Red pleas, "I'll be fine."

"Hell no, you will not. That's what they all say and then they are showing up at the station, at my house, and he is using me as an excuse, I even had a death threat from one of the really crazy ones." The blonde informs Ruby, "Do not go there."

Ruby opens her mouth to argue, but then closes it and leans back against the booth her eyes wide as Emma smells familiar aftershave.

"Emma Swan, it's been way too long?" Emma turns spying Will in a white, much too tight, long sleeve shirt, and a pair of dark wash jeans. He looks amazing, a wide grin on his face. She has missed him more than she realized as he picks her up in a crushing hug.

Releasing her after a couple moments, he turns to Henry who hold out his arms in excitement, "Super throw me." The little boy demands as Will picks up the toddler and gently tosses him into the air, as Henry squeals in delight.

Emma gives Ruby a warning glare as the man squeezes in next to Emma on the booth.

The waitress just winks at her, before grinning at Emma's old partner, "hi, again." The deputy inwardly groans when Will's eyes light up and meet the brunette's smiles with a dashing one of his own.

"Miss. Lucas, it's good to see you again." He then elbows Emma in jest anger, "how come you haven't introduced us before?"

The blonde shakes her head at both of them, as she watches their flirty banter. She eats in silence as she tries to decide exactly what she is going to wear to Regina's tomorrow night. Something sexy that will make Regina want to rip off her clothes, maybe she should just go nude she thinks. But she remembers that Henry is invited as well, so she alters her train of thoughts and thinks of something sexy that is easily removed.

"Earth to Emma," Will interrupts her rambling, glancing up to see Ruby back behind the counter and Will holding a grinning Henry in his lap.

"She must be smoking." He states.

"She is." The blonde informs him, "How long are you in town?"

"Just the weekend, it was time I came and visited. Ruby is going to put me up in their bed and breakfast." He grins at this, his eyes fluttering off to find the waitress once again.

"If you break her heart..." Emma warns, "I'll destroy you."

He grins sheepishly back at her before scooping up Henry and carrying him to the door. Emma pops by the cash register to drop down some bills and is about to leave when Granny stops her.

"Who is he?" The older woman asks, her eyes watching him out the window, where Will is teasing Henry on the sidewalk.

"My old partner from Boston." Emma informs Granny, "I don't want this as much as you."

To her amazement, Granny just steps a little closer after taking another look of the window. "Is he a decent man?"

"The best man I know," Emma takes her change from the widow, as she turns back to glance at Ruby, who is smiling softly out the window at the Knave, "but he, well he's a heartbreaker."

"So is she," Granny replies, "I've had my fair share of lovesick boys in here running after my granddaughter."

"Are you okay with this?" Emma asks surprised because the older woman is as protective as they come.

"I will argue till I'm blue in the face to keep her away from men who have no job or decency. But to deny her a man who might break her heart, never."

"Okay." Emma agrees, "then I won't prevent it, but I'm sorry in advance if he breaks her heart."

"Oh honey," Granny tells her as she moves toward the door, "you aren't responsible for other people's choices. Sometimes people make mistakes; you just need to be there for them when they fall."

She is about to thank the widow, when her cell phone rings loudly at the same time her Deputy pager goes off.

It takes her eleven minutes to make it to the Town Hall. Firefighters are already on scene, as she scans quickly looking for Regina. Leaving Will with Henry, she dashes towards the ambulance, where she finally finds the older woman yelling at the ambulance attendant.

"Miss. Swan," the Mayor snaps out as the blonde heaves a sigh of relief, she hadn' t been able to breathe, thinking Regina might be hurt, "tell this idiot that I'm fine."

"Take the oxygen," Emma calmly tells the woman, scanning over her. Besides a bit of dirt, the brunette seems okay, and Emma's heart finally falls from where if was lodged in her throat. As Regina holds the mask over her face, the attendant informs the older woman that she cannot drive, or drink for a minimum of forty-eight hours, causing the brunette's scowl to deepen. Emma scowls as well, remembering it's Regina's birthday tomorrow. Reaching out she grabs the Regina's hand and holds on tight as she watches the flames slowly die down.

"What the hell happened?" She asks as Regina's oxygen is finally removed and she helps the older brunette towards her bug. The flames have been controlled, Graham has blocked off most of the street, still almost the whole town is watching.

"I don't know, thankfully I was heading out so I wasn't in the building for long."

Will is leaning against the car with Henry in his arms, and he grins at her smugly as they walk up.

"You must be Regina Mills." He smirks, "I'm Emma's old partner from Boston, Will."

Regina stands tall. holding out her hand, "Madame Mayor to you" she tell him sternly as he throws back is head and laughs.

"You were right Emma, hot as hell." Will grins knowingly.

"Charming," Regina deadpans, "I now understand why they placed you as Emma's partner."

"She finds me more charming though," Emma informs Will, and then confirming with Regina asks, "Right?"

The older woman rolls her eyes, but a small smile breaks across her face, "Perhaps dear." This, of course, causes the Knave's grin to widen even further, as he shuffles Henry onto his other hip.

"Fires happen in Storybrooke a lot?" He asks as he motions to the still smoking Town Hall.

"If you are asking me if my town has fires commonly, than the answer is no." Regina snarls at the policeman, whose eyes narrow in thought, "I have yearly electrician inspections done on all buildings older than ten years."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" he asks as Emma grabs Henry from his arms.

She gestures for him to go, because arson is pretty big in Boston.

"What is he checking, Miss Swan?" Regina questions, wiping at the soot on her skirt.

"Arson." Emma tells her honestly.

"There has never been an arson case in Storybrooke." Regina leans into Emma's car and pulls out a wipe, scowling deep in thought, then adds, "who would set fire to the Town Hall?"

"Peter." Emma states as she looks around to see if the boy is here. She hasn't seen him yet but doesn't expect to. An arsonist likes to watch his fires but she strongly believes he is not as arsonist, just a boy seeking revenge.

"Peter, as in Peter from The Lost Boys?" The older woman questions in disbelief, "He is not an arsonist."

"No he isn't," Emma agrees, "this is a crime of opportunity and revenge, the fact that it's a fire doesn't matter, what does matter is what was targeted." Emma points to the main part of the building that was still smoking, a blaze flaring up here and there, the old archives.

"But what was important about today, my birthday is tomorrow so if he..?" Regina trails off until her eyes open wide at what Emma is suggesting.

"Your mother cancelled her trip to town."

"So he targets whom, me?" The mayor questions.

Emma sees Will heading back, so she turns to buckle Henry back in his car seat. "I think he is furious. I think that he believes your mother ruined his life and from what I've read from his file, he has nothing here and nothing anywhere else."

"So it's not necessarily about me?" Regina asks as she slides into the passenger seat of Emma's bug, moving some Granny takeout bags. "You need to clean this death trap."

"I don't think it was about you, vengeance is usually saved for a specific target. Peter won't waste his chance on you." Emma assures her as Will slides in next to Henry, his huge body barely fitting into the cramped seat.

"The scariest types of criminals are the ones who believe they have nothing to lose." Emma begins as she pulls away from the curb, "their want to inflict punishment on those they believe are responsible for the grief in their lives. When they have no one or nothing in their life they deem important, revenge can get quite extreme."

"You have seen this before, in kids?" Regina asks, her eyes falling to where Emma's shirt hides her scar.

"He was fifteen. Will and I brought him to the station for questioning. He sister was only twelve and had been killed earlier that day by a stray bullet from a gang war."

She pauses at the memory, of the boy's eyes full of tears, "We asked him if he had anyone else to call, but his mom was a druggie and he informed us that he hadn't seen her in weeks. We finally managed to track down his aunt, who took him home."

Emma pauses, thankful when Will takes over, "His aunt clearly wanted nothing to do with him, but she signed for him, so we let him go."

"The next day we get a call that gunshots had been fired in the same neighbourhood. A sixteen year old girl lay dead outside in the hallway. The boy we had let go yesterday had an eleven year old girl with him in the room."

"We tried to take them both alive, but when the smoke cleared Emma had been stabbed and the boy he paid for his revenge with his life." Will softly summarizes as Regina looks on in sadness.

"The girl were the sisters of one of the kids we were processing for the drive-by shooting. It was a sad week in Boston."

The car is quiet, Henry asleep, Emma lost in her thoughts of that time of sorrow. Kids killing kids. Those were the worst days of her job.

"Have you talked to Graham?" Regina asks as the blonde pulls up to the mayor's house.

"I mentioned I was worried, but in truth, we didn't have much to go off." Emma defends the sheriffs decision "But I was checking up on him during my shifts." It hasn't escaped her notice that the fire had not started during her shift.

"Well, perhaps you might want to investigate this fire a little deeper."

Will laughs lightly at this, the older woman shooting him another glare as he climbs out after her, "Don't worry," he stands at attention and salutes in jest, " I'm going to be hanging with Emma tonight and I already asked the Fire Chief to meet us there at eight."

At this the Mayor's head tilts in surprise, "I was right, Emma and you are quite alike. Both full of surprises."

Emma grins, watching the older woman head toward her door before turning back to smile at her, "By the way, dear, that was a compliment."

"Oh, I know." Emma calls back, just before the door shuts.

"God, that woman is insanely sexy." Will smirks as he slides next to Emma into the passenger seat.

"You have no idea."


	10. The Only Life I've Ever Known

Emma spends the entire Sunday with her stomach in knots, it is now almost six and standing in her room, with Joan Jett hating herself playing softly, she wants to puke.

"Fuck," she sighs as Ruby burst through her bedroom door.

"Hey, your mom texted. Something about a date." The brunette grins as Emma looks wide- eyed at her.

"Is that what she called it? Did she tell my mother that?" Emma's mother went for breakfast with Regina this morning, the mayor whom had been texting Emma most of the day.

"No, your mom only texted that you were throwing clothes around frantically and hitting things. She said she thought you might be meeting with Regina tonight, especially since you told her Henry and you are going out for dinner." The brunette laughs. "So spill?"

"Nothing to spill," Emma grabs a black dress and sniffs, it smells clean, but she isn't sure that black is something to wear tonight. She thinks back to the teasing texts Regina has been sending her all day. It had begun early this morning, when Emma texted on her way home from her shift to make sure the brunette was still alive. When she awoke at noon, she had four texts, each more suggestive than the first.

What does it mean when someone texts you, "Wondering if you enjoy black lace or red lace?," because Emma knows what she would like it to mean.

"Well," Ruby gently encourages, "I hope there is at least a good reason your entire closet is lying on the ground."

"Spring cleaning," Emma lies throwing herself on her bed. She is going insane. Actually insane. How do people actively choose to go on dates and enjoy them?

"Right," the younger girl agrees sarcastically, "what's going on?"

"I asked Regina if she wanted to do something for her birthday on Friday. She told me to come by for dinner at seven, of course this was after informing me that I needed to practise on my dating techniques"

Ruby laughs, "Only that woman would depict the way someone asks her out."

"It's just," Emma starts picking up some of the shirts lying on the ground.

"You want this, correct?" Ruby asks folding up a few pairs of her skinny jeans.

"Hell yeah, I'm all in." Emma grins, she's been all in for a while now.

"Well as a woman, who knows your sex appeal," Ruby takes out her phone and sends off a quick text. "I'd say you are getting laid tonight, and as your best friend, wear a dress and be yourself."

"What about Graham?" She questions, as the brunette flops into her bed.

"That has been done for a while, at least I'm pretty sure, it's not like Regina ever talked about it in the first place, I just knew because,"

"Stop." Emma quickly places her hands over her ears.

"Sorry, I lack a filter." The brunette pats to the place next to her and Emma thumps down.

"I do too." The blonde grins, "so this is good, right?"

"Absol-fucking-lutely, if there is one thing I know it's that Emma Swan loves Regina Mills. And by now Regina has had the time to make a decision, based on facts and numbers, not a rush of lust. Which means, well if she said yes, I would say Regina Mills finds you pretty damn worth it."

"Fuck, tonight is going to be epic." Emma turns on her side to study the younger girl, "did Will stop by before leaving town

"Yeah." Red laughs, "God, he is gorgeous, wait does this mean that you are not going to be a major cock-block?"

"You don't have a cock." Emma protests.

"Well he does, so?" the brunette stares Emma in the face.

"Go nuts." Emma laughs because she was so worried about the other woman, but like Granny had pointed out, the waitress could give it back just as good as Will could give.

"Awesome, because the next time he is in town, I am seducing him. Just to let you know." Red wolfishly smirks

"Okay," Emma agrees, "what the hell am I gonna to wear?"

It's almost seven when Henry is finally dressed and ready to go. Emma's parents had gone to Granny's to play crib with the older woman, so just Red was standing in the foyer, looking pleased.

"You look amazing!" The brunette exclaims again, "By the way, Belle says you can keep the dress." Ruby had texted Belle earlier asking for a dress that Ruby and Lacey had bought her.

"Look at that dress, why would someone not want it." It's a deep blue, which causes Emma's eyes to pop a teal blue, in a dress that barely passes her thighs, and Emma has to admit she looks hot. The neckline is decent, only showing a bit of cleavage which Emma is thankful for because if she bent over she is sure Ruby will see the lacy light blue thong she has on.

Ruby follows her to the car with Henry, "fuck I need to get laid," she sighs as she buckles him in.

"Don't you always?" Emma laughs as the brunette scowls at her, "besides I thought you and Gus totally hooked up Friday night.

"We did, but he was a virgin so.."

"way to much information," Emma quickly informs hopping into the driver's seat.

"Let me give you some advice, Deputy, if you don't want to hear about my sex life, then keep your clothes on around me."

"Sorry." Emma apologizes, because she had been giving off endorphins left, right and cemtre just thinking of tonight.

"No biggie," Res leans into Emma's window, "Go get her Tiger," the younger woman encourages.

"Tigger!" Henry jumps as much as he can in his car seat, as the waitress blows him a kiss.

Her heart is pounding as she knocks on the door. God she is thankful Ruby insisted that she wore a dress, because otherwise she would have been way underdressed. her eyes bulge as she traces the exposed neckline of Regina's dress.

It's a deep purple that clings like a second skin on her figure, ending two inches above her knees. Emma feels a shot of lust, unable to look away from the neckline that dips down, so far that Emma licks her lips at the black lacy bra Regina which clearly undoes in the front. She has to lock her hands together to keep from reaching out and unclipping the clasp.

She licks her lips as she contemplates phoning Ruby to pick up the toddler until she finally glances down and sees Henry who is grinning up at Regina proudly, holding out a yellow rose.

"Remember to say Happy birthday," she barely manages to eke out, as Henry hands her the rose. The older woman nods out a thank you, as Emma's eyes once again fixate on the older woman's breasts.

Thankfully, Regina, unlike Emma, seems to be quite composed as she kneels next to Henry and pokes him gently in the stomach. "You look just like a little prince." She tells him broadly and leans over to adjust his bow tie. Fuck, Emma groans, because Regina kneeling has just given her an even better angle to her magnificent breasts.

"What do you think, Miss. Swan?" the older woman rasps grinning lightly at her, as she stands back up.

"Amazing," She sighs, so fucking amazing. Regina shakes her head in exasperation at her and gestures them in the door.

"By the way, Miss. Swan," The older woman rasps as Emma smells the faint scent of apple, "I wasn't asking you about my breasts."

"Right." Emma gulps as the older woman's hand trails along her waist as she passes. She takes a moment to compose herself in the hallway before following Regina and Henry.

Regina leads them into her dining hall, where the table is set up with a bowl of salad, candles in the middle and amazingly a small high chair sits at the end of the table. Emma places Henry into the high chair, as the older woman gestures her towards her seat. "I will go grab the lasagna."

Emma eyes the napkins and tries to tuck it into Henry's button up shirt. After three attempts and him pulling it out each time, she finally informs the boy that Tigger loves to wear napkins and if he wears it like Tigger than he can stay up extra late tonight.

"Bribery looks good on you," the Mayor comments setting the lasagna, that is swarming with cheese, down on the table. Fuck, Emma thinks as she squirms on her chair, how does this woman make a simple sentence so sexy.

Emma has two helpings before she decides that she really does not want to feel stuffed tonight. The blonde stares woefully at the dish, really wishing she could just fit a bit more in her stomach.

"Still eat like a pubescent boy." Regina comments as Emma licks off the last of her cheese off the fork.

"Yeah, but techincally it's your fault, that dish is amazing." Emma declares taking one more lick off the fork, Before sighing and placing the fork on her plate. Glancing up she sees Regina gazing at her with half lidded eyes.

"You know dear, I can package some of the lasagna for you to take home, if of course you finish your salad." Regina licks her bottom lip, before leaning over and wiping the side of Emma'a face. "God,"the older woman breathes, "even my sauce looks good on you."

Her eyes widen at the incidental sexual innuendo, as Emma laughs huge chuckles that chase away all her insecurities and nerves.

"The things I'm going to do to you." she leans in and whispers, because it's her turn now that Regina is off kilter, and she is going in for the kill. She never got the upper hand out of the bedroom much, although in the bedroom had always been even play..

"Oh," Regina manages to get out as Emma curls her tongue against her bottom lip in a promise, "desert?" With that Emma gleefully watches as the older brunette heads to the kitchen biting on the inside of her cheek.

Henry is very well-behaved as he spoons back his ice cream, asking Regina about horses every time he comes up for air. When Regina's attention is diverted Emma finds watching the brunette lick ice cream off her spoon, until all she can think about is licking around Regina's breasts until before flicking the other woman's nipple with her tongue as the Mayor moans. Of course this has her squirming in her seat and she is ever thankful when Henry declares himself finished.

Emma offers to do the dishes, while Regina plays with Henry. It's a win win because both Regina and Henry seem pleased, and washing dishes is a calming experience for her. Her mother, although loaded with her father's money, loved living a simple life and believed that washing dishes was a great way to bond with her daughter. It was the one hour, no matter how hectic her world got, that had always been her mother''s and hers.

It's almost nine when Henry starts nodding off, "I set up the guest room with a bed rail." Regina informs her as they head up the stairs with the sleepy boy. There is a brand new kids toothbrush in the bathroom, and Henry fights just like at home when she attempts to brush his teeth. Five minutes later he is washed up, and in his pajamas. Regina stands at the door as the blonde leans over to say Henry's prayer. It doesn't surprise the younger woman that the toddler is almost asleep when she leans in close and kisses him softly.

"Gina need super kiss?" He asks Emma. the blonde can't keep a smile off her face as she watches Regina lean in for her kiss. What a beautiful boy!

The toddler waves as they leave the room and head to the living room. Regina offers her a glass of wine, which she politely declines because she knows that the older woman isn't allowed to have alcohol for a few days because of her smoke inhalation.

So instead Regina puts on a kettle for tea and they head into the living room. It doesn't amaze her that the atmosphere instantly becomes intense as soon as they face each other. Passion had never been their problem.

"I didn't know you were religious." Regina leans her head back, her eyes finding Emma's briefly.

"I, well I'm not so much. But I can raise Henry two ways. I could not pray and if there is a God than he loses so much. So I pray and if there isn't a God, I still lose nothing." Emma explains, she had attended a church and it always scares her that what if, so she figured she had nothing to lose by believing in a God.

"That is surprising sound." Regina tilts her head in thought, until the tea whistles and she leaves. Emma waits, watching as the brunette comes back with the kettle and some mugs. After placing the serving tray down on the table she turns to Emma, surprising the blonde with a gentle kiss to the side of her mouth, before sitting back down.

"Daniel found out about us, four months after you left." Regina stirs the tea absentmindedly, far away from the present. "I expected him to be furious, but instead he just broke. He kept asking me why I did it, why I didn't stop. Sometimes I would tell him it was revenge against Neal, or my mother, or against Gold. Other times I told him that I just wanted one thing in my life that only I controlled. But after two months of excuses I finally broke, you were gone, Sheriff Humbert was sure that something bad had happened, I broke and told him the truth, I was in love with you."

Emma stops her there, "you don't have to do this tonight."

"Yes, I do. So Daniel left, joined the Navy, truthfully he dropped right off the grid. I haven't heard from him since." Regina sighs, " Even his dad hasn't been back, sold his place soon after Daniel left town."

"He was a kind man." Emma smiles softly at the older woman.

"Indeed he was, he stopped by to see me before he left. Explained where Daniel was headed." She doesn't add much more, although Emma is sure the conversation between Daniel's father and Regina was much longer.

"You truly didn't have to tell me." The blonde assures her.

"I had to, but mostly I wanted to. You have been perfect, because as angry as I was that you didn't just hop back into bed with me,"

"But I totally wanted to." Emma interrupts.

"I know that now, but a couple months ago I wanted well." The older woman shamefully explains as she fills up the tea cups, "I was planning to destroy you."

"Oh," Emma bites her lip.

"Not kill you dear, but you aren't the only one who has changed." Regina smirks, "I was more or less planning to have revenge sex with you." Fuck Emma thinks, thankful that her mother and Granny had both warned her that jumping into bed with Regina was not in her best interest.

"But now I do." Regina quickly explains as she fills up the tea cups. "No one has ever allowed me to make my own decisions, except for you. You gave me time to forgive because I truly am not good at it. Gave me time to figure out what I want and what I need."

"And," Emma bits her lip, as Regina pulls her down onto the ground next to the fireplace.

"I'm ready, we're ready."

"This thing we have, it'll never be easy." Emma warns because they are both so passionate, and so stubborn. They spent almost a full three years, having sex with each other. Yes most of it was spent in bed but to be honest Emma learnt a lot about the other teen during those years that wasn't based solely on sexual experiences.

"I know, but..." Regina traces Emma's bottom lip with her finger, "I want all of you, and for you to have all of me."

Emma leans in, her body aching for a taste of the lips in front of her, but the older woman pushes her lip back firmly, stopping the younger girl from kissing her. "We won't be able to stop."

Emma groans, but leans back on her arms. Fuck, how do you keep yourself from jumping the woman who finally says the words you have been waiting to hear for months.

"I did apologize to Daniel." Regina continues, "And I will apologize to you. I am truly sorry for the pain I causes you that night, the night you left, and for each night after that."

"It's okay." Emma quickly forgives because the truth is she forgave the other woman a long time ago, "besides I went in with my eyes wide open. It wasn't a secret that Daniel and you were having sex."

Regina chuckles at this, "Miss. Swan, I may not have been a prude but my mother made very sure Daniel did not defile her daughter."

What the hell?

The blonde states wide eyed at her, because there is no way that Regina had been a virgin when they, when she had.

Fuck.

"You should have told me." Emma blurts out, as the older woman licks her bottom lip.

"No, I was too proud, besides you were perfect, it was perfect."

"Holy shit, fuck," is the most the blonde can get out because she still remembers that night like it was yesterday.

-Flashback-

Emma groans with anticipation.

Anticipation because Regina roped Emma and Neal into studying for their final exams with her and Daniel. So the four of them had sat at the kitchen table, Regina smugly taking the seat across from Emma and pulling out her English vocab sheet.

Anticipation because Regina decided to quiz Emma while she teasingly ran her leg up and down Emma's thigh. It had become a game as the night progressed, the brunette slipping off her sock so her toes could press and prod against the inner of Emma's thigh.

It had gotten to the point that as Regina quizzed Emma on pronouns and verbs, she could barely concentrate because every time Emma would get one right, her toes would move in circles and if Emma would get one wrong the older teen would completely remove the pressure.

Until finally Emma had been on a roll and had answered the last twenty five right and Regina was shining with pride but the younger blonde knew that with a little roll of her hips she would be coming.

She had excused herself to the bathroom to relieve the pressure, but just before the door shut she heard Regina tell Daniel that she wanted an early night and watched them get up and walk to the front door. But not before the brunette glanced down the hall at Emma and gave her such a glare that Emma knew instantly that she was in big trouble if she took care of her need to come by herself. So she instead told Neal that she was going to head home as well.

So tonight for the first time in three weeks, she was going into the other girl's room sober, not high, not a little drunk or a lot drunk, but completely stone faced sober.

Waiting till the lights faded down the driveway she crept back across the back yard and to the outside of Regina's window. Here she stood, shivering in anticipation, nerves fried after hours of stimulation.

"Are you coming in Miss. Swan?" Regina whispered through the open window her brows furrowed in what Emma presumed disgust. "It seems you haven't understood that I don't like to be kept waiting."

Fuck, Emma sighs clambering in through the window. Regina's hands and lips immediately were on her, removing clothing before she hit the carpet. It was fast and dirty for Emma who was almost already there and when Regina slipped in three fingers up with an extra hard thrust Emma came with a silent scream.

Regina lay above her smirking with a pleasantly pleased smile on her face. She strived to be the best at everything she did and Emma loved reaping the benefits. As soon as the blonde caught her breath she flipped Regina over admiring the black lacy set of underwear she had on, tonight especially, she was determined to give Regina some form of pleasure because not once in the last three weeks had Regina let her touch her below the waist.

She had dutifully informed Emma that she was doing this for Emma's pleasure and it was not cheating as long as that was how it remained. Truthfully Emma told her she was full of shit, but Regina has scowled and Emma didn't want to give amazing orgasms up so instead dropped the topic.

In all honesty since Emma had never pleased anyone yet so she didn't really mind. Although with the amount of pleasure Regina took from it, and with how much the blonde loved being able to place kisses all over Regina's body, especially her breasts, she was willing to bet it was worth giving.

The sight of Regina's eyes half-lidded, her breaths coming out in soft pants gave Emma a determination that she never had when drunk or stoned. I mean, fuck, Emma thought, if I leave she is just going to take care of herself anyhow. The thought of the older teen masturbating made Emma squirm once more, desire shooting through her; fuck, what she would give to see Regina touching herself.

So Emma rolled Regina over, her hands grabbing Regina's ass causing the other girl to moan softly. Gently massaging her ass like she had her breasts, she nipped at the older teen's collarbone until Regina's whole body shook in pleasure and want.

"Oh, Emma," The brunette sighed, urging Emma on, as she slipped her right hand underneath the older girl's panties squirming at the feel of warm flesh,while her left hand moved upwards to brush over straining nipples.

Gently brushing back black lace, she finally bit softly on one of the nipples to distract Regina, shifting her right hand to drag her fingers through soaping lips. Tugging on the nipple with her teeth the blonde waited for the reprimand but it never came, instead Regina threw her head back in a moan, "Get on with it Miss. Swan."

"Fuck yes, "Emma hissed with desire, slowly running her fingers up and down Regina's folds.

"Emma." The older woman warned, bucking with desire.

"Patience," Emma moaned, as she slowly moved her lips down Regina's magnificent body. She placed one kiss underneath her left breast, another few trailing towards the girl's belly button. As she reached the insanely cute button, she stuck her tongue in it, swirling it around as she circled the older girls clit.

"Stop teasing." Regina demanded breathlessly, "fuck me.

"Oh, I will." The blonde promised lifting her head, but as she spied the glorious dripping pussy she had a shot of desire to place her tongue where her finger was. It may have been the f word coming out of Regina's mouth or the heated desire coursing through her body but Emma had never wanted to pleasure a woman so much.

In a matter of one second, she scooted back and her tongue reached out for a taste of that magnificent wetness. And with that Regina's back arched off the bed, fists, which had been curled around bed sheets, finding Emma's hair tugging her head in closer.

"Oh, oh." For the first time the blonde left the other woman completely speechless. Regina's legs were bucking so hard that the younger girl had to remove her left hand off her the older girl's ass in order to hold her down so she could taste more of Regina.

Emma may have been sober, but now she felt quite drunk; woozy off of power and Regina. She got quite caught up in what she was doing and all she could think and feel was Regina and as she when she popped her tongue in and out of Regina's wetness. The older teen's hips began bucking even more furiously, until Emma moved her mouth up to suckle on her clit.

Suckling she slowly slid two fingers into Regina, the brunette's body arched. Emma couldn't keep her eyes off the other girl, fuck she was beautiful, within a few minutes of gentle sucks and nips, and steady thrusting Emma watched in awe as the Regina finally let go.

Emma licked her fingers before crawling back up Regina's body where she crouched; watching as the older girl slowly opened her eyes. "Holy shit," she said her eyes wide and gleaming, "that was amazing."

Emma smirked proudly back at her, fuck ya.

She leaned back as Regina finally composed herself and glanced towards the door.

"I guess I should go…" Emma bit her lip, her eyes roaming over the sweat on the other girl's tanned stomach.

Regina pulled her back in quickly, "I'm not so tired," the older girl smirked, and Emma's insides clenched.

End Flashback

"Where did you go?" Regina asked placing her cup of coffee on the table.

"Back to the beginning the first time you finally let me touch you."

Regina throws her head back and laughs, "why that day?" Emma asks although looking back on the night she now believes she know the reason.

"You were sober, a rare occurrence and selfishly I wanted you to remember it."

"I don't think I could have ever forgot." Emma declares softly.

"Me neither, it was.."

"Epic, I really went all out didn't i?" The blonde questions because unlike Regina she didn't confirm and make sure Regina wasn't making a decision in lust. In fact Emma knew she was and still just quickly snatched what she wanted.

"Yes dear you sure did. I don't remember complaining though."

Emma laughes, " Clearly since you were insatiable after that." Regina had never stopped her again. In fact she down right encouraged it, talking dirty in ways the older teen knew turned Emma on.

"I was, you , my dear, were not much better."

"I was much worse, I think I got myself off at least once a day just thinking about you." The younger woman laughs. She considers the ramifications of that night, "I am glad we were each other's first."

"Me too, dear, although you ruined me for everyone else." Regina pulls Emma in towards her.

"Well, so did you.: Emma grins, as she thinks of how badly she was ruined, " there was a reason I never asked out anyone in Boston. Not a single woman even in your league."

Regina presses a kiss into Emma's hair, "I couldn't even think about another woman, although I have been with.." The Mayor pauses staring at Emma.

"Graham." Emma finishes, considering they might as well knock off all the hard topics. Clean slate and all.

"I'm assuming Miss. Lucas informed you," Regina looks surprised that she knew.

"We are friends," The deputy defends the girl as Regina stares thoughtfully at her. They are both quiet for a few minutes; Emma remembering the rush of cold jealousy when Ruby told her.

"You, that night, you were pissed." Of course, Regina would pick up exactly when Emma had been told.

"Yes." The blonde doesn't need to add to that three letter word, unspoken jealousy floating through the air, "there was no one more than once for me. Just unnamed nights."

The brunette pulls the blonde in even tighter, as Emma breaths in her apple scent.

"I ended it that afternoon, when I discussed you becoming a deputy for the summer." Regina admits as she places their finished tea cups on the living room table.

That surprises the blonde, because although she had figured out that Regina was most definitely not seeing the Sheriff anymore, she had not known the woman had ended it so long ago.

"He was scratching an itch, and with you in town for the summer, I had options." At this the deputy nods, thank goodness.

"Options," Emma turns around a rubs a finger down the brunette's dipping neckline, "I was options."

"There aren't many in Storybrooke." Regina noticeably shivers as Emma's finger travel's back up, this time slightly under the edge of the neckline. She lightly grazes the brunette's nipple on the way back up the other breast.

"I spent a lot of money on sex toys." Emma leans down, her tongue lightly trailing down the neckline this time, as the older woman's breath hitches.

"Sex toys, fuck." The woman rasps as the blonde dips her tongue under the edge of the black lace, searching for her erect nipple, "I was going to have you spend all summer in my bed as a punishment."

Emma pulls back her eyes wide, "Fuck, Gina you can't say things like that and expect me to sit over here, not touching." The things she wants to do that woman.

"You are touching." Regina's eyebrow shoots up.

"I know it that okay?" Emma asks because this time, talking time, is done.

"Touch me." The brunette commands in a raspy voice as Emma catches half lidded eyes. She had almost forgotten how much the older woman enjoyed her whispering out 'Gina' in the throes of passion.

"Hell yes," the deputy moves in quickly hands reaching out to grab a firm ass as lips search desperately for softness.

AN: not sure if I'm gonna do the smut?! Let me know what you think?!


	11. It's Alright, It's Perfectly Alright

Pushing a wild blonde strand of hair out of her face, she presses a kiss of promise into the back of the older woman's neck as she trails that magnificent ass up the stairs. The atmosphere is charged with anticipation as Regina pulls her into her bedroom, and gently shuts and locks the door behind them.

The older woman steps towards her, pushing the strap of the blonde's dress with her fingertips down Emma's arm.

"When I saw you out the window," The older woman whispers, her fingers now lightly tracing the outside of Emma's lace, grazing her breasts, causing goose bumps to form on Emma's skin. "I didn't know if I would make it through dinner."

"That explains why you were so composed." Emma smiles lightly realizing that that older woman must have composed herself before answering the door.

"Yes, I took a moment. You should work on your reaction time though." The brunette turns Emma around and unzips the dress, slowly allowing it to fall on the bedroom floor.

"Never, I intend to devour your body for as long as I want." The blonde admits, as the brunette stares at Emma, her fingers run out against defined abs as Emma gulps, a hot desire of heat pulsing through her body.

"Don't move. " Regina unclasps the blonde's bra, as Emma gulps the dark-haired woman's thumb reaches out and brushes Emma's left nipple. It was already hard, but now it's throbbing with need, and Emma bites her lip.

"Fuck, I want to touch you." Emma closes her eyes are she feels finger's hook into the side of her lace panties, sliding down her legs.

"Look at me," Emma stares at the woman, eyes dark with lust, lips red, breasts heaving as the older woman drops her dress. Emma looks, really looks her eyes tracing the fullness of breasts encased in black lace, and down to a trim waist and a small black thong that barely covers anything of a clean shaven pussy.

"Fuck you are beautiful." Emma reaches out to touch the older woman; who swats the younger woman away.

"Since we are making our intentions clear, I am going to make love to you all night, possibly all month." The older woman than gestures for Emma to lay down on the bed, as she bends over the blonde, her eyes roaming over the deputy's body.

"Maybe all year." Emma watches as the brunette reaches out one finger to trail over her collarbone.

"Quite possibly until you leave town." The finger now blazes a hot trail from her collarbone to the edge of her breast.

Emma gasps as the older woman dips a finger underneath the lace, fuck she isn't going to last long if this continues.

'I'm never leaving." Emma declares and with that the brunette pounces, her lips finding Emma's and the calmness is gone, instead a true passion and need fills the air.

The kiss was intense, lust cursing through her veins as she tilted her head to kiss back just as hard. Emma wounded her hair through black silky locks, as hands tightened against her ass, the pleasure of soft lips on her own, knowing that she would never want anyone but Regina. The Mayor pulling her in closer, teeth gently tugging on her bottom lip, Emma groaned, pushing upwards as Regina seeped into her veins.

When Emma had imagined there first time together again she hadn't pictured it quite like this, Regina on all fours over her, fingers twisting and turning an erect nipple. The older woman, kissing an inexorable path down her chest, nipping and kissing and tasting her way till she came to the cradle of the blonde's legs. This was so much fucking better than what she had imagined.

Remembering Henry in the next room, the blonde grabbed a corner of the sheet lying next to her, and parting her lips stuck it into her mouth, as a hot tongue flicked across her clit. Fuck, this woman was will be the end of me she thought, as she felt the wet tip, sliding between her folds.

Magical lips, finding her clit with a soft suck, as a hand pulled the edge of her bra down again, fingers circling her nipple.

"More," Emma moaned, "Oh fuck."

Regina's tongue made long sweeps from her entrance, up to her clit, as fingers slowly began to move inside of her, making Emma moan in desire. Fingers curling in a slow rhythm, as Emma shuddered clenching her mouth in an effort to keep quiet.

She started to clench quickly once Regina fell into a steady hard pace, as her constant sucking on her clitoris was sending her so close to the edge, she could taste blood from biting on her bottom lip.

She was so close now, so very, very close..

As the tremors began, The Mayor crawled back up Emma's body, her thumb replacing her lips as she whispered into Emma's ear, "That's it, come for me, baby."

It was magic, her body rigid as it explodes with bliss into the most intense orgasm Emma had ever experienced, body arching and clenching with Regina slowly thrusting, bringing her down from her high.

Kisses pressed on her head and face, as the blonde struggled to catch her breath, until finally she opened her eyes to find dark eyes, that were full of tears, waiting to spill over.

"Come here, Gina." Emma whispered pulling the older woman close to her, warm body against hers.

"I need you, so much." The brunette whispers softly as Emma strokes soft silky black locks.

"Forever." Emma promises, "Forever." She promises again and again and again as she holds the other half of her heart in the palms of her hands, tightly.

The blonde turns fingers finding soft wet cheeks as she spreads kisses along a collarbone that she has mapped out long ago. Their bodies have changed, they have changed, but it doesn't matter, all that matters is how right they feel. Finally after years of their bliss being tinged by deception, finally their love feels pure, untouchable.

She will never let this woman go again. So she holds her woman, promising with soft kisses and tender touches as they have always been enclosed in satin together, alone without a care for anyone else in this world. This is where they will find one another, tangled in a web of legs and arms, this is where their souls, their hearts will live, together, forever.

Emma is pressing a kiss into the side of Regina's neck when she feels the older woman's body tense.

Remebering that the older woman hasn't yet gotten a much needed release the blonde pulls back, eyes searching until she finds dark brown eyes full of want.

The blonde softly releases Regina, before turning her over gently so the Mayor is lying on her front on the bed. Softly her lips attaching quickly to the back of her neck, as she sucks at the spot she discovered as a teenager, the older woman gasps, the mood quickly turning, as the brunette squirms beneath her, beautiful and wanting.

Running her hands over silky skim along the woman's sides of her breasts, until finally she feels the toned skin of a firm ass. Straddling the woman, she softly caresses until the blonde dips her fingers between the woman's ass cheeks. Her lips trail kisses over every inch of Regina's back, Emma's thighs press to hold the woman down as she sucks on a patch of skin above her hip bone.

"I have loved you." She begins as she sensually rubs her own pussy that is dripping once again, against the woman's thigh, the blonde's eyes closing with the amount of love and want flowing through her body.

"I have loved you.." She begins again, as she moves back up the mayor's body, trailing a blaze of lust with her tongue up her spine to the back of her neck.

Spinning the woman over, she stares into the half lidded eyes of the woman she loves. The brunette looks positively wanton, glistening in the glow of the bedroom, desperately bucking and rubbing her thighs together for friction.

"Fuck Emma, you, I, need." The older woman pants, breasts heaving, so perfect that all the blonde wants to do is climb up onto the beautiful globes and fuck herself on it.

"My God, do I ever love you." She finally spills out staring into the other woman's eyes, as she finds the perfect breasts again.

The blonde crawls up the gorgeous body underneath her, until her clit is above an erect nipple, than she brushes her clit lightly against the nipple. A shock of lust quakes theough her body as the older woman gasps, the blonde can feel her legs trembling with desire as she moves her clit in circles on the erect nipple, coating it with wetness.

In a flash, the older woman pushes Emma off of her tit, and grabs the deputy's fingers pressing them to the her clit. "I'm not sure if it's possible to combust with lust, but unless you are willing to find out, stop teasing." The brunette declares eyes dark with lust, hips thrusting against Emma's fingers, "I need you, now."

The blonde slowly cups the brunette's sex, feeling the heat, before placing three fingers at her entrance. Regina groans at the feel of Emma's fingers waiting at her entrance, quickly grinding her hips in order to be entered.

Pushing three fingers in slowly, the blonde watches as the brunette gasps, eyes wide and dark. She flexes once, then her mouth finding hot lips, she plunges in over and over again, at a slow but steady pace, twisting and curling against the older woman.

Her lips ripping away from the other woman's as she places her hips behind her thrusts, latching onto an erect nipple which is coated with her desire.

She knows Regina is going to need more, but she doesn't want this to be over, she wants to stay inside the dark-haired woman, pleasuring her forever. But Regina moans softly, "Faster, more, I need more."

"I know," Emma acknowledges "It's okay, I'll help." A teasing glint fills the blonde's eyes as she slowly adds a fourth finger. It's so tight that Emma can feel every part of the brunette, it's wonderful being in her like this.

The dark-haired woman, lets out a moan of pleasure as she is filled so completely, her body adjusting to the added volume, until after a few thrusts she is once again arching into the blonde's touch.

With her hand twisted, four fingers knuckle deep, thumbs rubbing circles, she lightly brushes her other hand in between Regina's ass cheeks. The brunette's body arches even higher off the bed, so Emma's forefinger finds her tight rosebud.

"Oh, that feels.." The Mayor's head falls back as she pulls a pillow up over her face, her neck bare and exposed.

"So good, right baby." Emma puts pressure with her finger on the tight muscle with hot circles as her lips find a hard, throbbing clit. With four fingers completely disappearing, sucking in earnest, the blonde groans with desire as she feels Regina clench as she comes, hard.

Emma slowly removes her fingers, watching the older brunette regain her breath. She stares at her drenched fingers before her tongue comes out to clean them off, fuck she loves how Regina tastes. she groans as white hot pleasure that courses through her veins as she sucks on her fingers.

"Fuck, I already want you again, I love the way you taste." Emma glances at the woman, pulling her fingers out of her mouth and biting on her lip.

"I," the older woman heaves, "you, just fuck." Emma grins proudly at the Mayor'a swearing. It always means she blew Regina's mind when she curses in bed. I am a sex god, Emma proudly smirks as the older woman rolls her eyes in clear acknowledgment of the blonde's pride.

The blonde is about to pretty much take a bow, untill she spots Regina's dripping thighs and groans in desire.

"May I?" Gesturing to Regina's soaking pussy, she slowly crawls back down inbetween the older woman legs.

"just be gentle, I'm already not going to be able to walk tomrrow." The woman rasps, but as Emma's tongue licks long slow licks through soaked folds the woman's head once again is thrown back against the pillow.

It's going to be a good fucking night, Emma thinks.

A naked leg runs up along her hip, spinning the blonde smiles at the older woman pulling her close. "Fuck, I've missed this, not saying that sex in a freezer isn't fun, but there is something about you in satin sheets."

"I've missed that." Regina leans in kissing the corner of her mouth.

"Missed what?" Emma asks confused.

"Missed your charm. Ability to pay me a compliment in the most sexual, but yet most beautiful way."

"Your welcome, your majesty," Emma smirks, fuck yeah she is awesome.

The brunette shakes her head in exasperation pulling Emma in for a soft kiss. "What time does Henry generally wake up?"

Emma sighs looking at the alarm clock reading 430AM. "In about two hours."

"We should get some sleep, dear." Regina informs the blonde who is curled into her, "I'll set the alarm for 615AM."

Emma pouts a little, but grabs her tank top off the floor. She watches as Regina covers up her magnificent body, with soft satin shorts and button up top. The brunette hands her a pair of boxers as she climbs back into bed.

"You kept these?" Emma laughs staring at the purple and gray boxer briefs that she used to wear as a teen.

"If you are asking if you were indeed lazy enough as a child to leave multiple items lying in my bedroom floor than the answer is yes" the older woman slides close to the deputy who chuckles.

"Thanks for keeping it." And they both know she is not taking about the pair of boxer-briefs that the brunette just handed her.

The alarm rings loudly before Emma's fist comes out and pounds it like they do in the movies. Except this time she forgets she is at Regina's and it isn't her old clunker from high school, so the entire thing explodes with a crack.

"Fuck, I owe you an alarm clock." Emma groans rolling back over to snuggle with the brunette, her fist throbbing because that alarm clock isn't near as soft as hers is. But the woman is no longer lying there, instead she is staring wide eyed at the mangled mess of the alarm clock.

"Emma," the older woman huffs picking up the deputy's hand. "Do you ever think?"

"Not generally very well in the morning," Emma admits, thankful that her hand seems reasonably fine, as Henry calls loudly from the other room, "so you want to hang out with me during my favourite part of the morning?"

The older woman nods moving to get out of bed, but Emma gestures her back in. Stumbling half eyes, she picks up Henry from the guest room.

"Morning baby boy," she murmurs as she quickly takes the boy pee. Her mother had helped her potty train him this summer and since September he has been accident free.

"Ready for snuggles," she deposits Henry unto the bed next to Regina, "look who is joining us this morning."

"Gina!" The toddler exclaims burrowing up beside the older woman like a turtle, "you's staying for snuggles?"

"Yes I am," Regina smiles as she wraps her arm around Henry, "did you sleep well?"

"I sleep too good." Henry proudly states as Emma slides in next to them.

"So good," the blonde corrects with a laugh. "Regina is one of the best cuddlers." She informs Henry who stares at the Mayor, wide-eyed.

"Mama says we has to practice every mornin to be best." Henry runs his warm little hand against the blonde's cheek as Regina hides a smirk.

They lay in bed for half an hour, Regina tells Henry stories from when she was younger and would ride her horses. It's perfect, even with Henry interrupting often with questions, because he is lying across the Mayor's stomach with his face in his hand, propped by his elbow, relaxed and enthralled.

It's almost ten by the time they are ready for the day and head out. They are on their way to the stables, a picnic lunch packed when the blonde turns in confusion to the Mayor.

"It's Monday."

"Your ability at deduction once again astonishes me." The mayor quirks her eyebrow.

"You are playing hooky from work." Emma realizes, and she is sure that Regina never plays hooky from work.

"No, Miss Swan, I am merely taking a day off." The brunette disagrees, her eyebrows scrunched in irritation.

There are so many things the blonde could say, she could tease the other woman mercilessly, but instead she just smiles softly, "thanks."

Regina takes Henry because Emma can barely stay on a horse, it takes twenty minutes for the blonde to finally relax on the horse even a little.

It's gorgeous out, a rare warm sunny day towards the end of October. The leaves have started to fall so there is a soft crinkle to the plod of the horse's steps. Emma has never been up to the waterfall herself because it's only accessible by horse or hiking, and Emma's never been inclined to pursue either.

"Pull slightly on the left to guide him," Regina instructs the blonde when the road forks, "he will follow your lead." The blonde is incredibly nervous because so far she just needed to hang on for dear life. But she tugs on the reins and the horse plods left into the narrower trail with nothing but a little toss of its head.

Fifteen minutes later Emma hears the rush of the waterfall. She feels a little sorry that she knowsher mother would be hurt that Emma hadn't taken her along for her first trip to the falls. Mary Margaret and David were avid riders themselves and were always trying to persuade Emma to come up to the waterfall.

Three minutes later she spies a wooden sign, quite like the ones Gepetto makes, carved in old wood. 'Two miles to Deadman's Cave.'

"Seriously I thought they called this place, like 'rainbow wishes' or something pretty like that." Emma eyes the sign, which is gloomy and full of despair.

"It's 'Wish upon a Rainbow' and your grandmother named it." Regina heads her horse down the path, as Emma yanks the reiny thingy to the left and follows her.

"Of course she did, were all my ancestors full of roses and skittles?" Emma deadpans.

Regina shakes her head at the woman in exasperation. "I'm not sure, although the way Gold and my mother talked about your ancestors, yes."

"So I'm guessing your mother decided to rename it?" Emma asks, still pondering the sign.

"No my mother named the cave behind the waterfall. Apparently when she was young, there was a girl name Alice, who decided to go swim into the cave. The story is that she never came out." Regina explains.

"Of course she didn't, maybe she fell in a rabbit's hole." Emma can't help adding, chuckling at the scowl Regina shoots her. "Like Wonderland, you know, Alice." She quickly defends her joke as the brunette's scorl deepens.

"I got it the first time Miss. Swan." Regina rolls her eyes, "Idiot." Emma throws back her head in a laugh becuase even though the brunette doesn't find it funny, she thinks it's hilarious.

She stops laughing as soon as she comes through the thicket at the end of the path. It's beautiful; a clear pool of water surrounds the bottom before continuing down, flowing between tress bearing orange leaves hanging in anticipation of dropping. Thick ivy hangs around the waterfall, and although it's fall, the orange, yellow and brown leaves have only enhanced the rocks, making the place surreal.

"God, this place must be amazing in the spring." Emma admits as she ungracefully descends off her horse.

"Yes, it certainly is." Regina declares, as she hands Henry to Emma, and then proceeds to tie up her horse.

"Might even be worth a horse ride. "She admits watching Regina lead her horse to the pool edge for a drink of water. Emma unstraps the picnic basket and spreads out one of the blankets. Placing Henry on the edge, she pulls out a few colouring books they brought for him.

Regina joins them after she finishes caring for the horses, "Daniel and I used to come out here in the summer when we were younger. We stopped during the summer of my sophomore year; mother told Daniel that a young man never went swimming alone with a young girl."

"Your mother," Emma begins, not wanting to degrade the other woman's mother but needing her to know the truth "was a controlling bitch."

"She was." Regina agrees colouring in a tree trunk for Henry, "she never wanted to be a mother. I guess I should be happy she actually had me."

"That would have been worse." Emma agrees, "What the hell would I have done?"

"Most likely you would find someone else," Regina teases. Emma shakes her head, there is no one else quite like the brunette.

"Tigger loves the waterfall, I bet Roo will too." Henry grins as he hands Regina a blue crayon.

"Who is Roo?" Regina questions, staring at the blue crayon.

"Roo is my best friend, he is a kanga.. kangaroo." The boy states proudly, "Momma says I can't be Roo cause he talks so much."

"Too much, talks to much." Emma laughs correctly him once again.

"Right, although Mama thinks Tigger is really, full himself, but I love him." Henry scowls as Regina begins colouring in a cloud.

"Full himself?" Regina whispers lightly trying to figure out the boy's reasoning.

"Full of himself, you are going to have to brush up on your 'One Hundred Acre Wood' friends." Emma points to Rabbit, "Hey Henry, Regina can be Rabbit."

"Gina can't be Rabbit, cause Gina no have a cotton-tail." Henry sighs staring at Regina thoughtfully.

"But she is really smart, like Rabbit." Emma chuckles as she thinks of the character, who is also very irritable, loses his temper quickly, and is obssesed with rules and planning.

"I have a feeling that once I read up on these characters, comeone is going to be in the doghouse." Regina warns as she takes in the shit-eating grin on Emma's face.

That wipes the smirk off Emma's face as she ponders how many nights of sex she might miss. She is about to change her entire statement until she remembers how loyal and how deeply Rabbit cares for the ones he loves and figures she should be okay.

"Kay, Gina is Rabbit." Henry decides, his hand reaching out in the cutest way to find Regina's grin, "welcome to hundred woods."

It's cute enough to wipe all traces of irritation that Regina may have had as she smiles widely at the little boy shaking her hand. Emma grins back at them leaning back on her arms, eyes full of love.

"So Henry, who is your mother?" Regina questions as Henry points to the leaves on the tree, while handing her a green crayon.

"Mama is Pooh." Henry informs the older woman, who reaches out and brushes his hair out of his face.

"And why is Mama Pooh?" The brunette questions, and Emma grins remembering the toddler's reasoning.

"Cause Pooh loves honey, and Mama loves honey." With this Regina throws her head back in a laugh, as Emma pulls Henry in for a kiss to his forehead. The older woman smirks at the brunette, her eyes sparkling with humour.

"Pooh I do remember dear." Chuckling she pokes Emma in the waist, before clasping the younger woman's hand.

"Suits you just fine." Laughter rings, clear and free from the brunette, and Emma can't find any irritation at the face that Regina just called her slow-witted and somewhat naïve.

"Thanks,' Emma manages to reply sarcastically, but the brunette pulls her in close with a tilt of her head.

"Pooh is also, thoughtful and sometimes insightful." The blonde defends herself, as the older woman finishes the tree and hands Henry back his green crayon before turning and finding the blonde.

"Yes he is dear, he sure is." The Mayor agrees, and finds Emma's lips, soft and wanting.

They spend the next two hours talking and teasing each other lightly, until Henry starts to look tired and they decide to head back.

"i think I'm getting better." Emma states proudly, feeling more relaxed, as they head down the trail.

"Mama likes ridin horsey." Henry grins at her waving from his place nestled in between Regina's arms.

"I'm not sure I like it." Emma admits, "but it's bearable."

"At least your parents will be happy that you finally rode a horse." Emma sticks her tongue at the brunette, who chuckles, "Very mature, Miss. Swan."

"So you and my mom, you guys are what, friends?" Emma questions as they turn back into the wider stretch of trail and Regina pulls he horse alongside Emma's.

"We are not. We are acquaintances whom enjoy a meal together while discussing events in our lives." Regina explains to the blonde, who can't quite comprehend the difference between her explanation and friends.

"So like friends?" Emma asks again, because it sort of seems like it.

"No, we just enjoy talking business over meals." Regina frowns as if she never once realized that over the years she and Mary Margaret have become close.

"Was I business?" Emma asks wondering as she peers at Henry whose eyes keep closing and than springing open.

"No. I was still quite angry."

"I see."

"Henry was your mother's favourite topic, i may know more about him than I should." The brunette wipes back some of Henry's hair from his face.

"Never." Emma disagrees, "I want you to know everything." She smiles at her son, who has now fallen asleep against Regina, "If you want."

"I do." Regina reaches with her free hand and gently squeezes Emma's arm. Emma feels a burst of joy, because this might work. She might just get the older woman forever and she can't believe her luck.

"Did you like Boston?" Regina questions.

"Sometimes becuase it's big and you feel so small, but it's nice in a way. You can walk into a coffee store and no one knows you. I loved that. Being able to have a completely clean slate, choosing who I wanted to be," she pauses thinking of why she stayed so long in Boston, "it wasn't laced with memories of you."

Regina nods deep in thought. "I think that was what was so hard for me, I didn't have a chance to be able to forget you, everywhere I went there was a memory."

Emma sighs because she understands how someone can be in every part of her hometown, each corner and crevasse was full of Regina for the blonde as well.

Emma thinks about Storybrooke, and how much she truly had missed it in Boston. "On the other hand, it sucked. I missed having people who knew me, who knew my coffee order before I even arrived. I missed Granny and Sheriff Humbert giving me grief about the bad choices I made. I missed my mom and my dad, that feeling that no matter what happens ten minutes away there was always two people ready to make you feel better. I missed Ruby, fuck I really missed everything about her." She smiles at the thought of her best friends, as she hears a soft growl from the older brunette beisde her. Turning quickly she sees a frown across the Mayor's face, and remembers the kiss that Regina had seen that night at the bar.

"Ruby and I never," Emma quickly spills as the brunette's eyebrow raises in question.

"We weren't together, Emma." The older woman seems relieved, even if her words are uncaring.

"She likes to make out with me." Emma honestly admits, because fuck the brunette had jumped her every chance she could.

"That ends now, Miss. Swan." This time, the frown fades into a smirk on the Mayor'a face, as she stares at Emma possessively. "I don't share."

"I no, she hasn't kissed me since, well I think you scared her off after she locked us in the freezer." Emma laughs remembering the younger brunette's shit eating grin as she unlocked the door, which ended as soon as Regina whispered into her ear.

"Indeed I may have." The dark-haired woman smiles proudly, and Emma doesn't even want to know what the Mayor had whispered. Because she knows that Regina can be scary as hell, sometimes.

"I missed you," Emma finishes finally as she stares into dark eyes. "I missed you. Especially in the mornings, when I would coat my pancakes with syrup, I misseed you scolding me. At nights, I missed the way you would call me an idiot, when I showed up freezing outside your window in the dead of winter. During the day, I missed all the places we made memories, all the rooms we christened. But mostly I just missed that feeling when I'm with you." The blonde finishes as dark eyes nod in understanding.

"it feels like.." Regina starts.

"Coming home." Emma feels tears well in the corner of her eyes. "For so long I felt like I couldn't go back, couldn't come back. But now I feel like, like it's alright, it's all going to be alright."Emma swipes with her long white sleeve at the corner of her eyes, yes she was coming home, she had really missed this place, her place.

And now she needed to find their place, their place in this world, their place to call home. It sounds wonderful, the blonde decides as she spies the stables around the next corner. It sounds perfectly alright.

An hour later, with a little boy napping in the guest room, they have left a trial on the way from the door to Regina's bed, clothes lying haphazardly, ripped off in a haze of passion.


	12. These are my Streets

Emma grins as she opens the text message on her phone. It's finally Wednesday.

After their romp in the sheets Monday afternoon, they had both decided to wait till tonight to process the weekend before they forged ahead.

Of course, it's Emma and Regina, so their plans fell through as usual. It had been fine until Tuesday morning, when Emma had spied the Mayor getting her coffee at Granny's. The deputy had just started her shift, and tried very hard to not look at that gorgeous ass in a tight skirt, which had worked for about three seconds.

Minutes later she had Regina pressed up against the Town Hall wall, one hand fondling a soft breast the other desperately trying to find a way down the black skirt, until Archie Hopper, cleared his voice a few times and they both flushed and went on their way.

She spent the rest if the morning frustrated, especially when Regina texted that she was in no way was allowed to take care of herself. Of course, the blonde was never very good at following instructions.

Emma climbs out of her squad car at the abandoned house as she reads her text message. "Your mother met me at the stables with Henry this afternoon. Since you are both coming over for dinner, she has insisted I take him home. If this is reasonable I will see you after your shift at seven."

Emma grins, at the text as another comes in. 'I also have been asked to bath him if that is alright with you."

Emma quickly texts back that it is perfectly fine, with a smiley face at the end. Thinking of Henry splashing in the bath she lets out a chuckle, debates sending a warning text, but decides against it; Regina can hold her own.

She checks her gun twice before heading up to the abandoned house, weeds over grow over the pathway, newspapers soggy and wet lying scattered over the porch. A lawn moved is nestled behind a two of hedges that are dying, lost and alone.

She knocks twice although she truly does not expect to find Peter home. Graham has told her that he usually stays at Felix's foster dad's house.

There is no answer so Emma walks over to the window and peeks in. The living room is a mess, gaping cuts in the couch that look like someone took a knife to it. Tables are overthrown, and a busted TV lies against the corner of the room underneath a huge hole in the drywall.

Emma stares at the pictures that lie scattered throughout the room, broken glass littered over the carpet. Someone left this house very angry.

"Leroy, can I get the address for Felix?" She radios in the other deputy, who is on duty with her this morning.

"Sure thing Swan, still no sign of that kid?" Leroy's voice cackles back over the radio as she hops off the porch.

"Nope, this place is deserted." Emma looks around the side of the house, grass high and wild, she pulls out her gun just in case as she heads to the back of the house.

"I'm going to check the back."

"You need me as backup?" Leroy questions as Emma turns the corner to see a rusty back door hanging off its hinges.

"No, it should be all good." These are the moments she truly misses having a partner, especially Will.

"Besides we have no evidence, I'm just here to talk." Emma sighs because although the fire chief had confirmed arson along with Will, both of them had no evidence or any eye witnesses to place Peter at scene.

"Well for what it's worth, sister, I think it was the punk as well." Leroy's gruff voice pierces through the silence as Emma walks in through the open back door.

"We should just put that little shit back where he belongs." Leroy decides as Emma quickly clears the house and sighs with relief, before holstering her weapon. "Clearly he is deranged."

"Didn't know you knew big words like that Leroy." Emma teases as she walks to the bedroom she had passed by earlier. "All clear here."

"Good." Leroy harrumphs and Emma knows he had rambled on and on for her sake. He's a good man, regardless of the fact that he is loud and outspoken and a bit of a drunk. Storybrooke's rumour is that ever since he was turned down by one of the nuns, he has turned to the bottle. She understands.

"By the way," his voice cracks over the radio once again as Emma enters the bedroom, which unlike every other room is in pristine condition. "I only know it because half the town calls me that, over and out sister."

Emma smiles softly, as Leroy goes off radio, glancing about the bedroom. It was clearly his deceased parent's room, a queen bed in the middle of the room, along with beautiful dresser and two end tables. All in pristine condition and shinning with care.

But it's the beautiful paintings and sketches of all sizes, set up carefully of over the room, which has her pausing and staring at the lifelike images. Emma has never seen such talent, as she walks through the room gazing at the artist's work one by one. Most of them were of the town members, Ruby, Granny, Dr. Hopper walking Pongo, and her parents sitting on a bench capturing the love between them.

There was even one of Regina, Tink sitting on Killian's lap, August passed out on his bike, a cigarette in ine hand and an empty beer bottle against the front tire, spilling over the earth. Her gaze pauses as she comes got a picture of two boys, grinning widely and a blonde girl. She pauses because unlike the boys, the blonde's features are painted murky, like the artist either can't or doesn't want to remember. One blur in the line of paintings, and so she studies the boys, their faces in hope that she can figure out who the blonde is in the painting.

She makes sure that when she leaves, she leaves the house exactly as it was. She doesn't need Peter to know that she had come into the house without his permission, the blonde has a feeling he doesn't show his art to a lot of people.

Leroy has texted her Felix'a address and his foster dad is on the porch when she pulls up. She approaches slowly as she scans the man, who sits in front of a beat up house, on an old rocking chair.

"Heard there was a new deputy in town." He snarls his hand clasping a her can as Emma stops next to the front steps of the porch.

"Emma Swan." The blonde introduces herself, careful not to take liberations of allowing herself on the porch unless he asks. She has been around enough bastards in her life to know one when she sees one. His eyes are very red, empty bottles strewn around me him, a cigarette burning in his right hand as he take a spiff and leans back on his chair.

"Right, banging the Mayor I heard. Now what a lay that would be." Ire burns through her veins as she struggles to keep a straight face. He is taunting her and Emma knows it.

"Fuck, that woman has to like it rough am I right?" He goads as he chugs off the last if his beer and pops opens another. Emma grits her teeth, what she wouldn't give to punch this man in his face.

"I'm just wondering if you have seen Peter these last couple days." Emma shifts on her feet, as beady eyes find hers. God, what a disgusting man.

"I thought you were here about that bastard child my wife decided to get?" The drunk man asks as he wobbles up and leans against the porch railing. Emma is thankful he has decided to drop the subject of Regina, but now his eyes are roaming her body freely and she wants to puke.

"No, I just want to talk to Peter."

"They aren't here."

"Alright." Emma turns toward the patrol car, the hairs on the back of her neck bristling, feeling the gaze on her backside.

"I owe that kid nothing." He snarls and she doesn't turn to give him any satisfaction .

"You know, Deputy, I can see why the Mayor fucks you." It's too far and he knows it when Emma turns and takes three steps towards the porch. He is a coward as he scrambles back, but she is smart enough to leave with only a warning, knowing not to engage a drunken man on his property; especially not without backup.

"Watch it, because I'm sure I could find something that could place you in a cell." The man backs into the house slowly as Emma turns with a scowl and slams the car door shut behind her after she climbs in.

Her body is like a live wire, pulsating with disgust and anger as she hits the steering wheel hard twice. How do people expect kids to turn out half decent with a father like that? Her heart breaks for all the boys and girls whom have no one to turn to. She can't help but shoot off a text to her father before she pulls away from the curb, 'Love you Dad.'

The rest of the afternoon speeds by quickly with no trace of Peter, although she does snag Harry, one of the Lost Boys, for graffiti on the Diner wall. He is in her backseat shamefully downcast when she asks him to pass along a message to Peter that Deputy Swan is looking for him.

When she finally hands him a ticket for hours of community service he looks up relieved, a small smile breaking out over his face. "Four hours at the diner. You do whatever Granny asks." She demands as he stumbles out of the cop car. He nods and she watches him go in the rear view mirror before texting Granny about her extra help Saturday morning.

Her shift had just finished when Granny texts back that she is looking forward to the help. Emma smiles as she pulls into Regina's driveway because she knows that old man Humbert would have been very proud of her today.

Emma doesn't think she has ever seen anything cuter when she opens to a naked Henry bouncing down the stairs, eyes sparkling with mischief. Behind him is a soaked Regina, hair wild and wet, but with a smile that could reach the moon, barefooted and running after the toddler with a fluffy white towel.

"Henry David Swan," The Mayor sternly scolds, clearly hiding a smile behind the towel as she clambers down the stairs behind him. She hasn't spied the blonde yet, so the deputy just watches, until Henry spies her and jumps the last two steps with a squeal.

"Mama, mama is home!" The brown hair boy yells as he jumps over toward the blonde, arms spread with, grin plastered across his face.

"Hey, baby!" Emma picks up the boy, not caring that he is soaking wet and hugs him tightly to her. "Was Regina giving you a bath?"

The dark-haired woman comes to a stop beside Emma, holding out a towel to the blonde. "I was, well attempting to bath him. I believe I may need some pointers on how to keep the water in the bath." She admits as she frowns at her wet blouse.

Emma studies the older woman carefully who is clearly discouraged in herself for not being able to complete such a task.

"I don't think I've been dry since he turned one." The blonde reassures Regina, "he loves the water."

"Clearly he does. I suppose you couldn't have informed me of this before I attempted to bathe him?" Regina's perfect sculpted eyebrow raises in question.

"Not if this is the view I get." Emma laughs as she takes in the red lacy bra, that is clearly visible under the soaping white blouse. Fuck it been to long since she's touched that creamy skin.

"Idiot." Regina states calmly, but the blonde can tell that she feels a bit better about the terrible bathing episode.

Emma laughs as Regina once again lifts up the towel in surrender to the younger woman, but instead of accepting it, she gives Henry one last kiss, before handing him off to Regina. The mayor wraps the boy in the fluffy towel and he leans in close, against her as Emma follows them up the stairs.

He is dressed and telling Emma all about his afternoon, when Regina hands Emma a plate of delicious smelling stir-fry. She moans with the first bite because she hasn't ate since noon and has been starving since four this afternoon.

"Glad you like it." Regina wipes a bit of sauce off the side of her mouth, "but if you want Henry to have any manners you may want to try eating slower."

Emma grins and just keeps shoveling as Henry bounces around the living room like Tigger.

"Has he been like this all afternoon?" Emma asks when she finally takes a break from shovelling food into her mouth.

"No, I think he is just excited to see you." Henry bounces by again, this time singing a Winnie-the-Pooh song, or at least attempting too.

"How was work, dear?" The Mayor hands Emma a glass of milk.

"It was alright, I couldn't reach Peter. I tried his house, but he wasn't home."

"Yes, I don't believe he has lived there for some time." Regina acknowledges as Emma takes a huge gulp of milk.

"Nope, although he still stops by, cause I may have, kind of, entered the house." Emma admits.

"Illegally?" Regina questions.

"Well, I saw a mess in the living room, so technically a fight may have taken place so I feared for his life." Emma defends her actions.

"Of course you did." The older woman laughs as a petered out Henry finally flops on the ground next to his toy. "Did you swing by Felix's house?"

"I did. And I'd rather not talk about the man that lives there." Emma scowls not wanting to bring up the disgusting human for fear she might drive back over there and arrest him. She had spent the rest of the afternoon trying not to drive back there to show him respect .

"Very well." Regina sighs as Emma asks her about her day. The Mayor tells her about Gepetto wanting to design a new child's park and she really wanted to approve the plans. Emma asks how much money they needed after the budget, and proposes a fundraiser event that Regina seems to think is a great idea.

Emma eyes Henry who is playing with his trains on the ground as Regina and her go over a few ideas for a fundraiser. She laughs when Emma proposes a mudwrestling event, and Emma scowls when Regina proposes a dance. "You know I hate dresses." Emma spews as the older woman teases. But than she thinks of Regina in a tight dress, her hands running up to find beautiful breasts teasing her as they sway together, and she no longer hates the idea.

Just when the blonde thinks Henry is finally all bounced out he gets up from the ground, eyes full of mirth as he bounces with an extra spring right into Regina's lap.

"Bounce with me!" He giggles as Regina holds back a grunt at the sudden loss of air.

"I don't bounce, Henry." Regina replies back as she wraps the boy in a tight hug.

"But u has the feet for bouncing." Henry gleefully exclaims, as Emma smirks remembering Henry's favourite book where Tigger tries to convince Rabbit to bounce with him.

"I have what type of feet?" Regina quirks a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in amusement at the little boy.

"Feets a made for bouncing, cause you's Rabbit." Henry explains patiently as the blonde stifles a chuckle.

"Oh, I have?" Regina mocks surprise causing the blonde to stare at the woman because she sounds exactly like Rabbit in the book.

"Yes, and bouncin makes u feels a grreeeeat!" Henry bounces up and down, till he runs out of the room and Emma can hear his laughter down the hall.

"You totally read Winnie-the-Pooh," Emma accuses the older woman.

"I may have." is all the dark-haired woman says as she picks up the wet towel off the ground. Emma smirks because she knows Regina is an overachiever which means she spent the last two days learning everything there is to know about Hundred Acre Woods.

"So, what do you think of Rabbit?" Emma follows Regina down the stairs, trying to feel out exactly how much trouble she is in later tonight.

"That depends." The Mayor places the towel into the laundry and turns to the blonde.

"On what?" Emma asks as she pulls the older woman in for a kiss. Their lips meet quickly, yet slow as they moan at the feeling of the other. Emma feels a tongue against her lips and immediately opens, as a soft warm mouth tasting of apples and cinnamon fills her senses. She can never have enough of this woman.

"Fuck," Emma finally pulls back, releasing the other woman regretfully. "I have missed you."

"Likewise, dear." Regina brushes her lips softly against the blonde's, "I picked up a story to read to Henry tonight, if that's alright?"

"Its fine, but I do have one problem." Emma confesses because it has been on her mind since this afternoon.

"Oh," Regina looks a bit nervous, "well what is it?"

"No, well, no," Emma stammers at the disappointed look in Regina's eye, "not like that. I just, you are amazing." The blonde reassures the Mayor, leaning in and tracing the full top lip with her fingertip.

"I just I don't want you to ask." She holds up her hand when Regina looks like she is going to interrupt because Emma needs to get this out. "Maybe this is dating, but we both know it's more. I know more about you than you can imagine and I'm sure I'll keep learning. But the one thing I truly know is that you will never make a decision to hurt my son."

"You are his mother, I don't want to overstep." Regina quickly states as Emma steps in close, searching out dark eyes.

"I will let you know if I am unhappy, or if I disagree with something. I would like to know where he is, if he is hurt, if he is sick, big plans should be made together. But the little things, like scowling at me when I don't feed him properly, or checking his car seat, I like that." The blonde pauses, thinking about how much she likes it, in fact she doesn't just like it. "I love that, I love that you want to make decisions that are best for Henry. So I don't want you to change."

"Okay." Regina nods her head, "than we should put him to bed, and I'll go get the book."

It's simple and perfect as Emma says his prayer and then they both climb into bed with him. Propped up on pillows as Regina pulls out a hard copy of, 'Pooh Gets Stuck' , Emma sees the book and she laughs.

She laughs even harder when Henry asks why'a Pooh got stuck, and Regina smirks knowingly next to her.

Henry decides the story is his favourite yet, especially when Regina reads all Rabbit's lines in her best Madame Mayor voice. Emma pitches in for the Pooh voiceovers, which causes Henry to grin at the two ladies, biting his lip in anticipation with each page they turn.

"Oh, oh, help and bother." Emma chuckles out in her best Pooh voice as Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit's door.

"Oh dear, " Regina reads in a shocked, scolding voice, "well it all comes from eating too much honey."

"It all comes from not having a big enough door!" Emma sasses back in Pooh glory.

"Why oh why did I ever ask that bear for lunch?" Regina rolls her eyes and shakes her head as Henry laughs and pokes Emma in the belly.

"Soo much honey Pooh!" He tells her, "you's lucky you not have an owie stomach."

"To much honey, indeed." Regina grins as they finish the book, Henry once again almost asleep when they close the door.

"Mama?" Henry asks as just before the door closes.

"Yeah, baby boy, what's up?"

"You think Rabbit loves Tigger and Pooh even though sometimes gets mad?" Emma smiles, at the little boy as Regina pauses in the hallway.

"Rabbit is so very special." The deputy tells her son honestly, "Rabbit is so special because Rabbit loves his friends so much, Tigger especially, just sometimes Rabbit doesn't know how to show it."

"I love Rabbit too." Henry sighs, his eyes close peacefully as Emma shuts the door silently behind her.

Emma shouldn't have been surprised when she found herself pushed up hard against the wall. "Fuck Regina, I."

"Miss. Swan, my turn to talk." Regina presses a finger against Emma lips, before her lusty gaze runs over Emma, the brunette's breaths turning into pants until finally dark, half-lidded eyes find blue-green eyes.

"I do not trust easy, I love even less. But for some reason you, you," the older woman rasps, her face softening. "I love you, but you need to promise me, promise me that you will be here. No matter what. You need to fight for me because sometimes I forget to show it, some days it's harder."

"I know, I know. I'll never let you go again." Emma promises, "I promise I will be here, we will be here." It's honest and true and full of truth because Emma doesn't jump into things fifty percent, she loves with everything she has, and loving Regina has never been a question.

Emma pushes off the wall and walks Regina backward towards her bedroom. "I will be here tomorrow." She takes the button of an almost dry white blouse and pops it open.

"I will be here this weekend." She pops open the next three buttons, licking her lips at those magnificent breaths heaving, full and round.

Backing the older woman up against the closed door of her bedroom, she drops to her knees as she pulls down the skirt with her. Her eyes take in the red lacy thong, beautiful and dark with wetness. Emma slips down the panties, as her eyes find Regina's, "I will be here, I promise." She whispers before her tongue reaches out, and the Mayor's body slams against the door with a bang, hands finding purchase in wild blonde locks, as a moan rumbles through the night.

"Oh God, I need a bed," Regina moans her hips jerking forward to find more pressure. "Oh, please, touch me."

"I'm going to touch you everywhere," Emma still her tongue, slowly withdrawing it before catching full lips in a searing kiss and picking up the older woman and throwing her onto the bed.

Crawling up over her, she hovered over the Mayor who was heavily breathing her hands quickly shedding Emma of her shirt.

"God, you are so fucking sexy," she exhales, brushing over an erect nipple. The blonde's mouth trails down her collarbone, nipping and sucking, until it reaches the erect nipple. As Emma runs her tongue around it, the dark-haired woman lets go of a gasp that gibes way to a moan as she suckles harder and harder, the brunette buckling underneath her.

Emma sheds her own pants allowing her skin to cover Regina's and it feels so damn good that she can't help but run her core along the other woman's thigh in desperation.

Within seconds she is back up to Regina's mouth, her lips desperately seeking out the other woman, as her fingers trail downwards finding soaking lips.

She enters swiftly, overcome with lust, and with three fingers begins a punishing rhythm. Regina is mumbling incoherently as Emma thrusts over and over again until the blonde fumbles.

She fumbles and her thrusts falters because, Regina's hands were suddenly wandering everywhere.

The blonde tried to get her thoughts into some kind of coherent order, back to a place where she could think about giving Regina the ride of her life, but the sexiest woman she knew suddenly had fingers pushing her panties aside, causing all thoughts of rhythm to fly out the window.

Fuck, Emma groans as Regina enters her, plunging inside. Her hips arch to find those gifted fingers which are twistingand turning, deep inside finding all the right spots.

"Oh baby," she moans, thrusting her hips wildly, gasping when Regina circles her clitoris.

Suddenly the fingers on her clit stop, and dark eyes find her blue-green ones once again, "Come with me," she commands.

The blonde manages to start thrusting her fingers once again and soon they have both found some sort of rythmn together. Emma can barley think, pain mixed with pleasure, full or Regina, as she feels the other woman tightning around herself.

"Cum with me, baby." She whispers, "you feel so good, I promise I'm going to make you come so hard for the rest of your life."

"fuck yes, Emma." Regina rasps, the swear words so sexy comig from her mouth, that Emma pulls back her hips for an extra hard thrust.

It's messy and fast, sweat forming on their bodies, but its them and its perfect as they come together as one.


	13. A Mile Up the Road

AN:100 followers wow! Thank you, thank you for your kind reviews! Especially those who comment regularly, you know who you are. Your support is much appreciated!

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It's been two weeks, two weeks of quickies and not so quickies. Of making love, and making out, and making a passion that's somewhere between lust and desire or whatever it is you call it when you just fuck until you can't move and then you fuck some more.

She isn't sure they were ever this bad, even as teenagers because this time everyone knows, this time they don't have to hide it and that turns Emma on every time they walk down the streets. Especially when they walk side by side, hand in hand, with a toddler dashing in and out from between them.

Places they hadn't dreamed of as teenagers like the holding cell and the sheriff's office now have memories Emma will never forget. Unfortunately Regina has been very strict about her office, and although they have christened her couch, the Mayor has moved them every time Emma gets that ass on her beautiful desk.

This time though she still have responsibilities like Henry and being a deputy and she can't sleep off school the next day. It might be the reason why Emma's eyes are heavy during her night shift and it's only nearing 1AM.

Fuck, she groans getting up from her Deputy desk and heading to the coffee pot. She makes it as strong as she can handle, before placing it in a to-go cup and heading for her patrol car. Deciding it might help to get some air, she climbs into the driver's seat to do a round around town.

The cold air blowing in through the open window, along with a few drops of rain wakes her up fully, as she sips on hot steaming coffee. The town is quiet, very quiet on this dark dreary night, so it's surprising when she sees a light at the docks as she drives by.

It isn't long before pulls in at the docks, the light is a fire that is barely burning due to the rain that is falling but it's a fire, which is illegal at this time of year, and has shadows of boys round about it. The Lost Boys.

She radios in to Graham, that she is getting out to check on a fire by the docks, who tells her that he will be there in ten minutes if she doesn't radio back out in five. Checking her gun, she leaves the patrol car running and heads over to the fire.

Like she assumed, there are seven boys, and Peter hanging around the fire. Empty beer bottles scattered on the ground, and the smell of weed is potent as she makes sure that she steps in between the two ring leaders as she approaches.

"Peter." She nods as she takes her place to the left of Felix, the other graduated boy in the group of younger teens.

"Deputy, heard you've been looking for me. What brings you out tonight?" Peter asks as he takes a drag of a joint.

"I have been. Spotted a fire." Emma answers the boy whom she hasn't seen hide or hair of the boy since the fire.

"I just wanted to have a little party." Peter smirks as Emma takes a glance at the boys. There are a few she is used to seeing Harry and Kyle, two of the younger boys that usually end up in the back of her squad car.

But tonight there are two new faces, one quite young if Emma were to guess she would say only twelve or thirteen at the most. She recognizes them immediately, from the picture in Peter's house. The one with the blonde girl.

"I might have to book some of the boys." Emma stares at the youngest boy, taking a step towards him, but before she could take a second step the older boy beside him with dark horned, rimmed glasses steps in front of him. She instantly recognizes the protective move, having perfected it in her youth. Brothers for sure, Regina had been correct it must be the Darlings.

"Why not just overlook this slight infraction and I'll give you something you want." Peter quickly requests as she turns to look at him. Something she wants. She stares at him in amazement because Peter does not care how many charges his Lost Boys get, in fact every time he spies one of them in the back of her squad car the side of his lips upturns in a pleasant smirk.

"What would I want, and why would I trust you" Emma asks as Felix scoffs in disgust beside him Rolling his eyes in mockery.

"Do you know how lucky you are that Peter is even making a deal with you?" The older blonde hair boy laughs wickedly and Emma shivers at the hardness in his eyes.

"Felix, not now." Peter reprimands the other boy, who instantly sneers but turns and walks toward the other Lost Boys.

"I may not be the best-behaved boy," Peter begins in his drawling English accent, "but I always keep my promises."

"Why are you making a deal with me?" Emma asks as him as he chuckles to himself. She scans the boys once again, catching the brothers in her sight. The older Darling is now pushing his brother further into the darkness, away from the fire.

"I don't want Michael to get in trouble." She is startled that Peter offers his name, and he seems to see her surprise.

"The Mayor always seems to know everything about this town." Peter smirks, but there is still a satisfied smile underlying his words. "Well that's a lie, almost everything."

Emma sighs because she needs to take the younger boy in, he is way too young to be out this late without his parents knowing, and now that Peter gave up his name she knows for a fact that they are Darlings. And the Darling boys, unlike the rest of the boy's there, their parents give a shit.

"What do I get out of the deal?" Emma asks as she removes a half empty beer bottle from Kyle's grasp.

"You know better." she frowns at him and the boy has the decency to blush. She likes him. "Go home. " She tells the junior who nods in gratitude at being let off the hook and takes off at a run, Harry doesn't even ask as he follows his best friend.

"You get a promise, a good one." Peter smirks as Emma takes the joint from his hand and crushes it under her boot. A promise, a promise is worth something, perhaps everything.

"I get a promise, and you send each of these boys home, straight home." Emma commands and waits as Peter nods at the group.

They leave like ghosts in the night, silent and quickly leaving only a smoldering fire and empty beer bottles. Teen misfits silently fading into the darkness only Felix hovers next to the fire, scowling in anger as Peter gestures for him to leave as well.

"Don't even think about getting on that bike." Emma warms the brooding blond boy as he stalks by. He flips Emma the bird, she ignores him, because he is drunk and high and she doesn't have the energy for a boy trying to impress Peter.

"He's not the best choice for a friend." She tells him, as she radios Graham to inform him of her situation. Peter scoffs beside her.

"He would do anything for me. Anything." He stresses with a smirk. Emma shifts uncomfortably at the tone of his voice.

"Unfortunately for you, you have bad choices in girlfriends." Peter continues, smirking as Emma steps closer to him.

"I will do anything for her and you will stay away from her." Emma warns, because she will take so much, but no one challenges the people she loves.

"I will, that is my promise, I won't hurt the queen." Emma watches the boy, he isn't lying, but her inner bells are still going off, he also isn't going to give this up. But she also doesn't want that promise, she is not here as a girlfriend but as a protector of this town.

"Not good enough." She tells him, "I need more."

"That's the only promise you are getting from me." The boy slowly leans forward towards her, "I thought you would be happy." Fuck, she wants to take it but she can't. As an officer of the law she needs to protect this town.

"What are you planning, Peter?" she asks quirking her head at the boy.

"Me, oh you mean about the life that was stolen from me."

Emma stares at him, "What are you planning? She asks again.

"Nothing, I have nothing planned."

"So you are dropping it?" Emma takes a step closer, because the fire is almost gone and Peter is now hiding in the shadows.

"Why should I? Why should I let them get away with ruining my life?" Peter curses, and Emma knows she should point out that no one ruined his life, that in fact he himself had gotten caught with the drugs. That he ruined his own life, his own chance. But she doesn't.

"Vengeance, is not the answer." Emma tells him instead, as she picks up the two empty beer bottles at her feet.

"Neither is regret." Peter laughs, "and you are full of it."

"I was full of it." Emma stammers back at the insightful boy. Maybe it was because he was an artist used to studying his prey, it's what makes him such a persuasive leader.

"So much regret, I won't live my life that way." Peter snarls, "Regret is not a way of living."

"So instead you are going to live your life, how exactly?" Emma questions staring at the boy, waiting for an answer.

But Emma doesn't get one, instead the dark haired boy climbs onto his bike, before turning it on. "We are done correct?" he asks laughing without a care in the world. just before he heads out he leans and yells over the noice of the bike, "I won't harm the woman, in fact, I won't harm anyone you love."

Emma watches the taillights disappear and picks up the empty bottles. Fuck, she is angry because she should have made the boy give him his promise before she let the Lost Boys run. Although she feels the faintest relief at his promise, her stomach is twisted in knots, she needs to know what the boy is planning.

She is now sure that vengeance is coming to the little town of Storybrooke.

She deposits the beer bottles into the back of the squad car and quickly jots a not on the steering wheel to come clean up the fire's ashes in the morning. The blonde sits in silence in the cruiser, her mind miles away in a small office in Boston with a fifteen year old boy, sobbing. Tears come to her eyes, her fingers reaching under her skirt to trace the scar, she needs to help him.

She wants to help him.

-::-::-

Two days later, Regina rolls off of her licking her lips as Emma heaves trying to catch her breath. A lunch meeting at the Mayor's house had quickly turned into an afternoon of pleasure, she leans over towards the alarm clock. It's nearing three o'clock.

Regina's fingers lightly graze over her stomach, roaming along her side, until they stop on her scar. The brunette instantly sits up, her lips coming over to kiss the scar lightly, before examining it closely.

"The whole town knew that you had been injured because Mary Margaret left for three weeks." Regina sighs as she circles the scar with her finger. "I was going crazy with worry, but I was too prideful to ask. Thankfully, every morning when I picked up my regular coffee at Granny's Ruby would loudly update Granny on your progress. It actually took me three days to realize what the girl was actually doing, rambling on and on those three weeks."

Emma smiles, "Yeah, fuck I love that girl."

Emma stares wide eyed, shit she didn't mean it to come out quite like that. The brunette chuckles, "I know what you mean dear," she assures the younger woman, "there is something strangely enchanting about Miss. Lucas. She has definitely grown on me like fungi the last few weeks."

Emma laughs because only Regina could make fungi seems so fucking awesome. Ruby has been hanging out with Regina and her quite often in the past week or so. Especially last weekend when Will had come done for a date with the leggy brunette.

"Although that man friend of yours is another story." Regina sighs in exasperation. Will had spent the entire Saturday teasing and segueing with the Mayor. His eyes lightning up each and every time she snarked and scowled at him in annoyance.

"You were egging him on." Emma informs her girlfriend, turning her over so that she is straddling the other woman once again.

"I did no such thing, that boy is an imbecile." Emma just nods along with the mayor, distracted, as she leans in for a kiss.

It's heady and heated as Emma feels soft lips beneath hers; she gently bites down in the woman's bottom lip, as hands trail down her thighs until they rest against her ass. The blonde bites harder as hands pull her in close digging into her firm ass, as she feels heat pooling in between her thighs. She arches as lips leave hers and trail nipping and biting down her neck, how did she go so long without this woman.

It's a sobering thought because it instantly reminds her of Peter, and within seconds she is hugging the older woman tight. As tight as she can.

"Peter is still bothering you isn't he, dear?" Regina questions as Emma nods, because she hasn't been able to get their conversation out of her head.

She told Regina right away about the promise, who was angry that Emma had wasted a poimse on protecting her, Henry and her parents, and hadn't thought twice about herself. But the blonde had assured the older woman that Peter's vengeance would not be against herself, but would somehow include Cora, at least she was 82% sure.

She had been thinking about this a lot, but hasn't quite figured out a way to get to Peter. She just needs an in, one of the boys who may have something to lose.

"It's a good thing you never had any baby brothers or sisters growing up." Regina teases lightly as Emma rolls off her, unto the bed. "They would have been just like you, and you would have sacrificed yourself for them every time." The blonde knows there is a compliment in there somewhere, hidden underneath all the bullshit. It's the only way Regina really knows how to be sweet.

She knows the older woman is right, of course she would have protected a sibling, just like... just like the Darlings. Just like Kyle and Harry who are good kids, who still have dreams and expectations. Lost Boys who still have family because John Darling, has Michael, and both Harry and Kyle have siblings. And they like her. Blushes and crushes will get you somewhere with teenage boys.

"We need the Lost Boys," Emma decides as she hops out of bed and walks towards the door.

"The Lost Boys?" Regina quirks, "kinky."

"No, ew penis" Emma officially disgusted as Regina's eyebrow quirks once again, "I think some of the younger Lost Boys might tell me, some of them even kinda have a crush on me." She heads towards the bedroom door and gestures that Regina should come along with her, the quicker she figures out what Peter is up to, the better.

"A crush that will only be worse if you show at the school naked." Regina smirks as Emma glances down.

"Fuck, I forgot." Emma swears as she heads for the side of the closet that she has slowly taken over.

"I definitely didn't forget you were naked, Miss. Swan." Emma looks up from the skinny jeans she is pulling on to see Regina's eyes blatantly roaming over her body.

"Should I come back in?" Emma questions because she could go a few more rounds but Regina shakes regretfully giving Emma a look that says no way in hell.

"Are you sure?" Emma asks wiggling her ass to get them into her jeans, and hears a gasp and hands find her waist. She grins before slamming the older woman against the wall and pressing a knee up against the naked woman's clit. Regina's head bangs against the wall as she arches rolling her hips before Emma pulls back with a sigh.

"Too bad we have to go. "She whispers before pulling away quickly and throwing on a tank-top. Regina groans in frustration just as Emma quickly heads downstairs to find her red leather jacket.

The blonde grins the entire way to her car. It's about time that woman gets a taste of her own medicine, considering she loves leaving Emma wanting.

"So you and the Lost Boys." Regina questions as she finally makes it downstairs, her eyes narrowed at the blonde as she huffs.

"They like me," Emma pulls out of the driveway, heading to Storybrooke High, "some of them are just kids a little lost. And then others, like Felix, are a complete ass."

"You truly think Peter might have told them something?" Regina questions as she takes a right turn at the diner.

"I don't know," Emma fiddles with her seatbelt, " I may be completely off with this whole concept." But she doesn't feel off. Every five of her body is screaming that something is going on. At first it was just Mulan on her side and then Leroy. But after Will came to town last weekend, even Graham now seems to be on board.

"So where do we find these Lost Boys?" Regina questions as Emma takes her final left.

"We don't we find their records." Emma explains as she turns into her old High School.

They pull up into one of the guest parking spots next to the office. Emma grins at the old High School. "Let's go around this way." She hasn't been back to the old school since she graduated, and although she didn't hated being here, there is one particular place that she wants to visit.

"Is there a reason for this detour?" The older woman asks as they enter in through the side doors next to the gymnasium. The blonde smirks thinking of the old gym locker.

"Perhaps," Emma laughs grabbing one of the other woman's hands, "or perhaps I just want to walk down these halls once proudly holding hands with the hottest woman I know." The other woman nods satisfied while Emma blatantly meanders on. She knows exactly where she's going as she takes a quick left.

"The office is the other way, Miss. Swan, I would think you of all people would remember where it is." The Mayor tugs lightly on her hand, to try turn her around until the younger woman turns towards her with a mischievous grin.

"Oh no, dear," the older woman warns, as the deputy spies the door to their gym closet.

"Oh yes." Emma can feel how much she wants this now because just the sight of that stained door causes white hot desire to shoot through Emma's body.

"We are no longer children." Regina states, than corrects herself, "I am no longer a child, you are still a child and an idiot."

At the older woman's pointed scowl, Emma roars out with laughter, before pulling her the last few feet and trying the door. There is something about Regina calling her an idiot that just turns her on even more. Fuck, she needs to ask Regina to call her that as she is between her legs.

"Thank God." Regina sighs when the blonde tugs on the door but it doesn't budge, "now to the office, Henry is going to be home from your mother's in an hour."

"Hold on," the blonde stops the woman, pulling out two bobby pins from her hair. "Neal taught me how to do this." She fiddles around with the old lock as the Mayor impatiently taps her foot while scowling at her. Twist and turn, match up, she grins inserting the two pins.

"Remind me again why I am dating you?" The woman snaps out.

"I'm hot, charming, you like my ass," the blonde begins just as the lock clicks open, "and the sex is unbelievable."

"I am not going in there." Regina protests as Emma opens the door and heads into the room, "I am the Mayor."

"What is it about High School that turns you into a prude?" Emma feverish pushes Regina's button knowing it's the easiest way to get her into the closet. "You sound just like the first time I pulled you in here."

-Flashback-

Emma peeks out of the crack in the door waiting for her senior to walk by.

It really wasn't her fault that she was resorting to these measures. During her free period, she had just been hanging out in the bleachers with Killian, until the brunette's gym class had come outside for a quick game of field hockey.

It had taken only twenty minutes of watching the brunette prance around in shorts that were way to indecent, before Emma found herself needing to find a quick release. And to be honest, the blonde was going to head to the locker rooms, but on her way there she remembered that she had swiped the key last year to the old gym locker room, which was roomy and amazingly in decent condition.

The blonde peeked out, spying Regina trailing behind the rest of the pack. This is going to be epic, the blonde schemed, grinning when at the last minute she shot out, wrapping her arms around the older girl and pulling her into the closet.

She wasn't expecting the punch that grazes her face, so she has to move quickly to pin the other girl's flailing fists.

"Fuck Mills, it's just me." She quickly whispers causing the brunette to relax, steadying her rapid breathing.

"Idiot. What the hell are you thinking?" Regina scowls at her as the blonde rubs her jaw. Fuck, that woman could pack a punch.

"I just, well I was watching you." Emma grins at the older girl, moving in close with a smirk, "do you have any idea how great your legs look in a skirt?"

"I am well aware that you were watching me Miss. Swan," the older girl sighs, glancing around the closet with disgust, "I am also aware that you were checking out my ass more than my legs."

"Perhaps, so wanna make out?" Emma wiggles her eyebrows, and pulls the brunette in close.

"No, Miss Swan let me out." Regina demands, "I am not the type of girl who has sex in a gym closet, I am the school President."

"You want to leave? Really, I mean, I thought we were." Emma pauses, because it's been two months and they have been fucking like bunnies.

"We are. In my bed, where it is clean." Regina confirms turning towards the door.

Emma grins at her blatant lie. "What about in my bug twice, your mother's bathroom, on the roof..."

"Enough, those were mistakes, I made a heated decision based on lust at the time." Regina scowls, like she is very disappointed in her lack of self-control. "We are leaving, Miss. Swan."

"Okay you go, I have things I need to do. "Emma informs the brunette, because arguing with the older teen has just made her hornier and if Regina isn't going to stay that's fine but she still needs to fix her problem.

"Exactly what types of things?" Regina questions as Emma bites on her lower lip wondering if she should be telling the brunette. They have never talked about masturbating before, although Regina has asked Emma if she has any hobbies. This may or may not count considering Emma considers masturbation one of her favourite past time hobbies.

"Well like I told you I've been watching and thinking about you all day… "Emma begins as the other teen stares at her wide-eyed.

"And you're going to stay in here? And do what?"

"I'm going to, well, I plan on, I have a key and?" Emma starts as Regina's finally understands and her eyes darken at the thought.

"How exactly do you have the key Miss. Swan?" Regina questions, but this time instead of moving towards the door she takes a step closer to the blonde.

"I'm very good at getting my hands on things I shouldn't have." Emma leans in, whispering into the older brunette's ear.

"Yes you are dear," Regina rasps in a soft low voice, causing desire to race through Emma's veins.

"So are you leaving or staying?" Emma bites on the older girl's earlobe just as the bell for the end of class sounds.

"I have history," the other girl moans out sliding from Emma's grasp and runs for the door.

Emma groans in disappointment, sliding her hand down her pants as the door slams shut, her finger quickly finds her clit, circling it once than twice as she thinks about rubbing herself on Regina's ass.

She is just about lost, when she hears the door open and a set of soft lips presses against hers. "We need to work on our self-control and you need guidelines," the older girl warns as she yanks the blondes hand out and replaces it with her own.

Emma throws her head back, fuck she's glad she kept the key.

-End flashback-

"We still need to work on our self-control." Regina warns as she pushes Emma into the closet, her hands finding the blonde's wild locks and kneading her hands through it. "Fuck, I can't believe I'm doing this."

"I can," Emma groans a she trails kisses down the side of Regina's jaw, "I really can."

There is one thing that Emma remembers about this closet. Punishment. And she can't wait. Lips find hers, hard and chaste, until a tongue forces her mouth open and pushes in. The blonde puts up a bit of a fight, her tongue battling until Regina bites down hard on he bottom lip, causing her to open wide in surprise.

"You have been a very bad, pulling me in here once again, seducing me?" Regina rasps as she yanks off Emma's tank top and throws it to the ground.

"Fuck, yes." Emma groans out as the older woman's hands pull down her bra, her lips dropping lower down her neck until lips are sucking furiously at the top of her breast. She groans with need, "lower please," she begs as her hands find dark locks, and she pushes lightly trying to guide the Mayor's head lower.

To her delight and amazement, Regina obliges her tongue trailing until it flicks agonist Emma's nipple, swirling in circles until she finally pops the nipple into her mouth. The blonde can feel the nipple straining and pulsing, her body shooting desire down her spine, until suddenly she feels pressure, and sharp teeth nip at her nipple.

Fuck it hurts, but it hurts so good, and Emma can't think when her button pops, and she tries to push off the older woman, whose teeth are still clamped around her nipple. It's a half-hearted effort, as the older woman's hand is shoved inside her jeans, quickly finding her clit.

She's bucking with desire thrusting into the Mayor, when Regina finally releases her nipple, which feels like its on fire. "You know better than that, Miss. Swan," Regina warns low as two fingers glide through her wetness, "don't try to control a woman like me, not in this closet."

It's incredibly true, and Emma wishes she could transport this closet to their house. Fuck, there is something about a dominate, Regina, she moans as two fingers press up against her opening.

"You never used to like being punished quite as much." The older woman smirks and Emma knows how wet she is, can feel the sticky mess.

"Please, fuck me." She begs, needing to feel the other woman inside her. "Please." Regina doesn't hesitate, as she pushes two fingers into Emma, beginning quickly to thrust.

"These pants," the brunette complains, removing her fingers and pulling with two hands yanking them down around Emma's ankles. It causes the blonde to tumble, until two hands catch her, but still leaves her turned around bracing herself against the wall. Ass pressing against the woman's front, who grinds her hips against Emma's left cheek, while releasing her bra and kissing down the blonde's back.

"Hands on the wall, Miss. Swan," Regina moans, "this is such a beautiful position. I am going to have you screaming in minutes." Fingers run down her back, until they dip I between her ass checks and flutter against her rosebud. It is extremely sensitive as Emma moans as they circle once, before trailing down to find her entrance.

"It's really too bad you have found the need to convince me into this closet once again." Regina begins as two fingers, sends Emma thrusting back into the older woman.

"More." Emma demands, all she knows is that she wants to be filled everywhere.

"Too bad, because once again I am fucking you in a disgusting closet, like I am a teenager with no self-control." Three fingers twist and turn inside if her, "so if you want this Emma you are going to owe me."

"Owe what?" Emma rolls into pushes back into the fingers, as another hand reaches around her, rubbing circles on her clit.

"I want to fuck you, with my dildo." Regina rasps as she presses harder on her clit, and she begins to hit Emma's g-spot with her thrusts. Emma can barely think, she wants to desperately; she wants to give Regina everything.

"I need to come." Emma manages to gasp out, "let me come."

"I will and you will, but I want you above me, riding my dildo." Regina's finger leaves her clit, Emma moans with the loss.

The dark haired woman trails her finger through her wetness, until she slowly brings it back up to Emma's tight hole.

It tingles, like a thousand shock waves, when the finger begins to circle her asshole, "I'll make it feel so good." The woman promises as Emma pushes back onto her fingers, causing her thee fingers to pound in knuckle deep and the lone finger, which feels like a missile, to pop into her ass.

It's a little pain mixed with a lot of pleasure and Emma bites down on a swollen bottom lip as a million shock waves fly, hot flashes erupting throughout her boy. The finger in her ass twists and turns, as three fingers pound steadily. It hurts so good, as Emma explodes.

Soft strokes bring her down, as she is spun around and held until she recovers.

"Okay, I'll owe you." Emma softly grins into the older woman, who lightly gasps in acknowledgment. No, Emma hasn't had anyone penetrate her with anything besides their fingers since Neal. But she has used many vibrators and dildos herself, masturbating is still one of her favourite hobbies.

But even though she doesn't remember Neal, the thought of anyone using one on her has been a huge hurdle that she hasn't wanted to face.

It's a big step, mentally for both of them.

And they both know it.

Emma is still fixing her hair when Frederick, who is now the school's gym teacher, walks around the corner. "Hey," he bounds over to them, "you guys looking for me?"

"No we.." Regina seems desperate for an excuse.

"I haven't been back since I left." Emma cuts in with a smile, "wanted to see if the place has changed."

"Still the same," the blonde man grins, "so, let me guess, Principal's office."

"Yeah, we need to talk to my dad." Emma confirms as the gym teacher falls into step beside them. She walks silently with a satisfied smirk on her face, as Regina and Frederick talk about Kathryn and a possible dinner date. She chuckles to herself a few times as she spies various places that her and Regina had christened.

Each time she chuckles the older woman glares in warning, but its perfect because underneath the scolding the blonde still sees amusement in darkened eyes.

The secretary waves them in as Fredrick says his goodbyes to the two of them. Emma enjoys their nights with him and Kathryn, who gets along quite well with Emma.

"Emma," her dad grins as she takes a seat across from him, "when I heard you were back in the school I was almost expecting you escorted by Mrs. Blue." Emma chuckles as her dad spreads out a few files that Regina had requested earlier.

"So you wanted Harry's, Kyle's and Michael and John Darling's correct?" Her dad confirms as Emma picks up John Darling's file. Although Michael has more of an infatuation on Peter, John is one of the rare Lost Boys with a high intelligence level. If Peter would go to anyone it would be John, so Emma needs to read John's file first.

They are quiet each going through the files and then handing them off and reading another. Regina finishes first and places Harry's on the far left, before leaning back in her chair.

"So because I hear gossip I should tell you," her dad begins as she finally places the last file, Michael's down on the desk. "They have a sister. An older sister names Wendy." The blonde in the picture, Emma assumes.

"Yes, she is a kind, smart girl." Regina nods, "but she left for Boston University last I talked to her parents."

"Yes, she did," her dad confirms, "but she dated Peter sophomore year, that's how the Darling boys know him. They aren't his typical followers, good boys with decent grades."

"Decent, John gives Regina a run in IQ level." Emma blurts out. The boy was a hood kid, all AP courses.

"So he's too smart to Manipulate." Regina states, "so why are you interested in the Darlings."

"Because he has a younger brother involved. None of the others do." Emma explains, hoping family means as much to John as it does to her. "Remember what you said to me in bed?" She asks Regina who nods; they both turn to her father who looks mortified.

"Sorry." Emma apologizes, because she forgot he was there for a moment. "I just, Regina mentioned that older brothers and sisters are quite protective and John is. At least he was in the one night I saw them with Peter."

"So we use Michael to find out if John knows anything?" Regina states, "I like the way you think."

"I think that if I see them in trouble, I'll offer them a free pass for information." Emma leans back in her chair, quite pleased with herself.

"I'm not sure that's a great idea." Her dad interrupts her musings, "ever since Wendy, those boys haven't meant as much to Peter."

"He protected them that night." Emma defends her actions, "which is saying a lot."

"It's worth a try, I guess." Her father frowns, "just, be careful."

"I will, Dad." Emma rolls her eyes in a huff but leans in and gives her Dad a kiss anyhow.

"Hey, what was Felix like here?" She asks pausing in front of Regina before heading out the door. Remembering cold, hard eyes and red beady ones.

Her Dad looks up once again, his eyes sad and full of pain. "He never had a true chance, mean and ignorant just like the man who raised him. Truthfully I think the teachers passed him just to get him out if here."

"How come they never took him out of that environment?" Emma questions because if her father knew what kind of man , that bastard was...

"The state tried, I believe, a few years after his wife passed on. But Felix didn't want to go to Boston. So he wouldn't place any blame on the man." her father informs her, as Regina shakes her head beside her in disgust.

"As far as I know, which was before I became Mayor, the boy was already too far gone by the time anyone tried to do anything." Regina informs her sadly, and her Dad sighs in regret.

"He would know, he loves Peter. Strangely so." Her dad informs her, and she nods because she assumed he would. And she had noticed the strange infatuation the blonde boy had with the leader of the Lost Boys.

"Strangely so?" Regina asks as Emma pulls her by the hand down the hall.

"He may not be a lot of things, but loyal to Peter, he is, like a lap dog." Emma informs the brunette as they walk out into the cold frigid air. She pulls her red leather jacket tighter around her, shivering from the cold and maybe a little something else.

"Let's go home , I need me some Henry love." Emma sighs because sometimes she needs soft little hands wrapped around her waist, and kisses so sweet and so innocent. Needs to see a boy, not yet marred by the harsh realities of life.


End file.
